The Family in the Making
by Caneeltje
Summary: When Booth and Brennan are called to a mass grave, they uncover something far more horrifying than the decomposing bodies in the pit. A girl, bravely clinging to life. How did she end up there? What happened to her? Join Booth and Brennan as they figure it out while they get started on the family they both long for. This fic has already been completed, updates should be regular.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: It's been a while since we posted anything, so here comes one of our most recent fics. We'll try to upload more stories that we've already finished in the near future. Updates should be regular, and we won't make you wait unnecessarily long. We don't write to shop for a certain amount of reviews, though each one is appreciated, we just want to share our writing with you and hope you'll enjoy. We hope you'll have fun reading this!**

* * *

**The Family in the Making**

* * *

**Chapter 1: The girl in the pit**

Brennan was standing on the edge of the pit. The light, which was shining into the pit and illuminating the presence of the prepubescent bones that had been dumped inside of it, made her heart race. It was not the fact that she would soon - literally - be knee deep in human remains, but because of the narrow width of the pit. She distinctly disliked being in narrow spaces. She liked the ability to move around freely, but in there... she would be trapped like a rat on a sinking ship. Outwardly there was no sign however of her internal struggle as she zipped up her jumpsuit and grabbed a pair of gloves.

Booth stood a small distance behind her, watching her zip up, her movements calm and controlled - but a little too much so. He knew that while in foster care, she'd been locked in the trunk of a car for two days, and that the experience had left her claustrophobic. She never showed any sign of weakness, though, physically or psychologically. Which was why she needed him. She was too hard on herself, suppressing her humanity in favour of trying to be the perfect professional. He took a few steps closer to her until they were standing side by side. "You okay, Bones? We can have one of the agents go down and get the bones for you," he offered.

"Thank you, Booth, but I don't think that's a good idea. I need to examine both the bones, the composition they were found in and their surroundings. I will need the full picture to reach a correct conclusion. Besides," she sat down on the edge of the pit, getting ready to lower herself into it, "they are not professional. They don't have any experience." _And,_ she added in her mind, _these children deserve to be treated with respect._

Booth motioned for one of the agents on the scene to check the small ladder. When he got the sign that it was secure, he nodded to his partner. "Okay, Bones, ready when you are. If you need anything, just give me a shout out. We can have you out of there in one minute if need be." He gave her shoulder a supportive squeeze and let her go.

She smiled up at him for a brief moment and then focused her attention back on the task at hand. She stepped down the small ladder as she focused on her breathing. Once she reached the bottom of the ladder, she realized that she was not able to reach the bottom of the pit as she had assumed beforehand. She used the harnas she was wearing to secure her to the ladder, while leaning forward to start the tedious and precise task of cataloguing the remains underneath her.

At ground level, Booth remained right at the edge of the pit. About an hour later, Brennan asked him to lower the first box so they could get the first layer of bones ready for transport. Arastoo, one of Brennan's interns, would take care of proper packaging of the remains. "You need some water, Bones?" Booth yelled into the pit.

"Yes!" she answered as she looked down to the disheartening sight in front of her. Mass graves were always the worst, but so far she had only been able to find prepubescent bones. This was going to be an extremely hard case for everybody involved. Brennan closed her eyes and stretched her arms out above her head when she heard a soft sound. She froze and stared down at the bones, trying to find the origin of the sound. When she saw a right femur move half an inch to the left, she thought she knew what the problem was. After all, it wouldn't be the first time a small animal, such as a rat, mouse or any number of insects was found in a mass grave. However, when she heard what she believed to be a whimper, Brennan felt her heart skip a beat and she leaned down, gently, but quickly moving the bones around, hoping to get to the sound - and more important - the person responsible for that sound, before it was too late.

Booth had jogged over to the main van and got a bottle of water and a granola bar. "Water coming right down, Bones!" he told her as he put the items in a bucket.

She ignored the bucket as it was lowered down into the pit, but didn't stop him from sending it down, knowing she would need it if her suspicions were confirmed. Tears threatened to form in her eyes when she found a young girl amidst the bones and decaying flesh. She didn't give into the tears burning behind her eyelids when she noticed she was still breathing, albeit very shallowly. Instead, she gently continued to move the remains and spoke up gently and slowly. "Can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?" When the young girl blinked, Brennan sat up straighter again, grabbed the water bottle and carefully wet the girl's lips. She witnessed her licking his lips, her dark green eyes quietly begging her for more. So, Brennan poured a tiny bit of water into her mouth, then she turned around and called out to Booth, "Booth, call an ambulance!"

Booth's heart immediately beat faster. "What? Are you hurt? Bones!" he called into the pit, very concerned.

"It's not for me, Booth," she called back. "Come on," her voice softened as she carefully lifted the little girl into her arms, "you'll be okay, just keep your eyes open. Do you understand English?"

The girl merely looked at the woman, her green eyes begging her to help.

Booth grabbed his phone and called for an ambulance. "We have a survivor!" he called out to the others. "Bones, you need help?"

The little thing weighed so little that she had no problem carrying her up the ladder. However, since her harness was still attached to the ladder, she looked up at Booth when she was almost at the top, "Can you take her? This is as far up as I can go while I'm still secured."

"Oh my god," Booth whispered and carefully took the tiny body into his arms. "We'll take care of you, sweetheart. You're safe now, hang on." The sound of shrill sirens piercing the quiet, alerted him to the presence of the ambulance, and Booth began to walk in its direction. "Hang on, honey. Hang on to me, I've got you." The little girl appeared to be somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness, looking up at him with big, green eyes. Eyes that had seen way too much, he could tell. The little thing was feather-light, her chest rising and falling superficially, irregularly. She was covered in dirt; Booth couldn't even tell what the colour of her hair was. This was a sight that would never leave his mind.

Brennan knew from experience that the little girl was in very capable hands and that Booth would do everything in his power to make sure that little girl would pull through. Slowly, she descended the ladder again. Taking a healthy swig of the bottle, she resumed her earlier position and continued to catalogue the remains. She needed to keep moving, keep working, focusing on the rest of the human remains that needed her help even more than the little girl in Booth's arms did. She decided not to open the granola bar though, afraid that she wouldn't be able to stomach it.

"Please tell Bones that I'll be in the hospital and to take care of herself, okay?" Booth asked one of his colleagues before he got into the ambulance with the girl. The paramedics were acting in quiet alarm, quickly hooking her up to a fluid and electrolyte IV. They asked her if she was in pain, but she was barely responsive. They asked Booth to take her on his lap since she was hypothermic, and body heat was the best they could do at the moment. Booth felt a deep sense of protectiveness towards the miracle in his arms. She shouldn't be alive, one of the paramedics had mumbled. _Yes, she should be alive,_ Booth thought, _she's a fighter. She's worth saving._

Brennan's hands moved with a sense of urgency as she picked up the human remains and started to send filled boxes up to Mr. Vaziri, where he was now charged with the task to form and complete human skeletons. The deeper she went, the more 'fleshy' they became, but she carried on. The stench was slowly starting to overwhelm her, but she had seen the dirt on the bottom of the pit and was determined to get them all out, so she could join Mr. Vaziri and help him to reassemble the human remains.

Hours and hours later, when the day had turned into evening, Booth sat down and took out his cell phone. "Bones?" he said hopeful as he heard her phone being picked up. His other hand was holding a tiny one, belonging to the small girl in the hospital bed next to him.

"Just a moment," she heard Mr. Vaziri say, then he held out the phone to her and told her who it was. She peeled her gloves off and accepted the phone. "Yes, Booth?"

"Hey," he said softly, "You okay? Are you going home yet?"

"No, unfortunately not. Mr. Vaziri and I have yet to examine almost half of the remains I uncovered. I won't be home for several hours. How are you?"

He heaved a deep sigh. "Well, you saved a little girl's life today, Bones. She's resting right next to me. The doctor's aren't sure whether she has brain damage, though. She should be fine otherwise, physically at least."

"She saved herself, Booth. If she hadn't moved and made noises, I wouldn't have known to look for her. Will you be staying at the hospital tonight?"

"Yes, I will. I don't want her to wake up alone, you know? I've taken a picture of her and sent it to the Bureau to run through Missing Persons. No hits so far. Hey, Bones?"

"Yes, Booth?"

"I know I'm not there to boss you around, but go home on time, make sure you eat something and sleep well, all right?"

"I still have work to do, Booth." She heaved a small sigh and took a step away from her workstation and continued in a softer voice, "However, I am tired, so I will make sure to go home at midnight when Mr. Vaziri leaves. Is that to your satisfaction?" she asked softly, just enquiring to know if he agreed with her plan or not. It didn't really matter though, she would stay until midnight and then go home, not earlier. After all, she had a job to do.

"Yes, I understand. Call me before you to go sleep, okay? I like hearing your voice," he said with a small grin, knowing that meant nothing to her.

"Sure, if that would please you, I'll call. Don't be upset with me if it wakes you up though. I have no way of knowing whether or not you'll be asleep yet," she reminded him.

"Thanks, Bones," he smiled. "I won't keep you any longer. Talk to you later," he said gently.

"Okay. Talk to you later, Booth," she ended the phone call and returned to her workstation where she continued to work in the company of Mr. Vaziri until he gently, but firmly reminded her that it was midnight and that they should be heading home. Since she was feeling exhausted, she didn't object. They locked down the lab and each went their separate way. Once she arrived at home, she locked the door behind her and went to take a warm bath. As the water was running, she grabbed her cell phone and dialled Booth's number.

She sounded less tense, now, fortunately. "Hey you," he spoke affectionately. He'd spent the past hours at the little girl's bedside, watching her carefully, talking to her, holding her hand, stroking her hair - he could finally see its colour: a rare, flaming red. She looked like an Irish princess. She was pale though, paler than death, and yet she was breathing - all by herself. "How are you feeling?"

"Beyond tired," she responded honestly. "I'm going to have a warm bath and a few hours of sleep. I would like to be at the lab by 7 AM," she informed him.

"All right," he said, knowing it wouldn't make a difference if he insisted on her sleeping more. And he understood her need to work this case, and work on it quickly, as best she could. "I've got some worrying news from the doctors, Bones," he said, his voice tensing.

She closed her eyes, but her voice remained calm as she asked him to elaborate.

"When they examined and then washed her, they found a big, infected healing wound on her. When she was deemed stable enough, they made a scan of her entire body and it appears that one third of her liver and one of her kidneys is missing. A rather crude, but professional surgery, the doctors said. Something really bad is going on here, Bones. And this little girl wasn't meant to tell."

"I was afraid it would be something like that," she told Booth as she sat down on the edge of the tub adding some bath salts. "Mr. Vaziri and I found several nicks on the ribs and other bones. They would most definitely be congruent with surgery to remove the organs." She was quiet for a small moment and let her hand twirl in the water, allowing the heat of the water to soak into her skin. "I hope we're wrong, but unfortunately, I can say - based on the evidence - that it looks like all of the human remains show remodelling on the bones. Remodelling that would suggest that their organs have been removed rather carelessly." She was quiet for a little while longer. "We're dealing with some sort of gang that deals organs on the black market, aren't we?"

"Oh, they exist, yeah," Booth confirmed. "My team's pulling up files as we speak. We're going to see which ones use children. It's unusual; children are protected, registered, so more difficult to make disappear without anyone caring. How many kids were in the pit?"

"So far we've counted 12 children. My estimate is there are about 27 to 30 children. And I agree it is unusual, but Booth, you are forgetting something." She stared into the warm water. "Tell your team to focus on foster kids."

He could hear the veiled emotion in her voice. "I hoped we wouldn't have to go there, but yeah, they're probably on it. Hey Bones, if you need me to come home, I will."

"She needs you more than I do, Booth. Besides, there is nothing you can do here. I will go to bed after I've taken my bath. Just make sure you take care of your back, okay?"

He chuckled. "How do you even know?"

"Simple. I know you. Take care, Booth. I'll talk to you in the morning."

"You, too, Bones," he smiled. "Love you," he added a bit under his breath, not sure if she wanted to hear that.

She smiled at his soft, barely there words and ended the connection, feeling a bit better than she had when she'd first come home. She slipped into the bath and allowed the heat to relax her muscles.

Booth took Brennan's advice and walked up and down the room, then did some simple stretches, especially to loosen up his back. He went out for a quick snack and was back in ten minutes. The girl hadn't moved. Booth had an increasing urge to know her name, to watch her open her eyes and talk to her. To have her be okay and to save her. But she didn't move. She didn't show any sign of life but for her chest rising and falling regularly. All on her own.

Brennan kept dozing off in the bathtub, so she decided to get out of the tub and into bed. She got out of the bath, drained it and gently dried her body. She put a nightgown on and climbed into bed. The sheets felt cold without Booth's presence and the bed was too big. The drowsy warmth of the bath was replaced by the reality of the cold sheets and it took her quite a while before she finally drifted off to a fitful sleep.

* * *

**A nice thing to know about our writing process is that we always pick roles. This time, they were reversed. So, in our stories, we can have completely different Brennans and Booths depending on who picked which character for that particular fic. Any comments on which of the characters are believable are welcome ;). We'll update as soon as we can! Thanks for ****reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow, guys, thanks so much for the reviews! It's been a while since we published anything, but you've motivated us to continue doing it :). We write for our own therapeutic benefits, but we'll definitely keep sharing if it means others can enjoy our work, too. Here's the next chapter, a long one, and we hope it lives up to your expectations.**

* * *

Chapter 2: The Concern in the Partner

To say that he slept through the night would simply be a lie, and even napping would be an overstatement. He felt broken, but not too exhausted. The little girl hadn't moved, and he was starting to get scared that her brain was, indeed, damaged. The girl - oh, how he longed to know her name - seemed to look a bit better as the sunlight pooled on her face in the morning. Booth wondered how his other girl was doing, and decided to give her a call around lunch time.

Brennan had been awakened by the shrill sounds of her alarm clock and had proceeded to take a quick shower in order to wake up completely. After the shower, she'd left her apartment and made her way to the lab, where she only now stopped working as her stomach growled loudly. Yes, it was time to eat, but first she was going to complete analysis of this set of human remains.

After her liquid breakfast, which consisted of coffee, Mr. Vaziri had arrived and together they continued working on the remains. Somewhere during the morning, Wendell and Clark had joined them and by lunch she was the last one still working on restoration of a skull when her phone went off. She sighed, a little annoyed by the distraction when she was so close to finishing up, and picked up the phone without checking the caller's ID. "Dr. Brennan."

"Hi Bones, it's me," he smiled at the sound of her voice. "How's it going? How are you feeling?"

"I'm working on the last set of remains. In about an hour or two, I expect Mr. Vaziri, Mr Bray and Mr Edison in my office, where we will go over the preliminary findings of the skeletal remains, to compare notes. How is everything at the hospital?"

"I think she's slowly gaining strength. Still no name, though. Bones - you sound exhausted. Please take care of yourself. Just think: what would Booth want me to do? That's right, eat and rest."

"I would suppose he would want me to do my job and provide him with evidence so he can find these people and throw them in jail," she replied with a smile. "Will you be home tonight or are you staying in the hospital?" she asked, becoming serious again.

"Well, that depends on you. If you want me to come home, I'll be there and gladly so. I will spend the rest of the day in here, though. I just have a feeling that she's going to wake up. She looks better. Not as deathly pale and, well, 'more dead than alive' anymore."

Brennan nodded. "Well, there is still a lot of work to be done here at the lab. We've only just started with our preliminary findings, so truthfully, I won't be home until at least past midnight. Maybe it's best for her if you stay. At least she's seen you and it would be beneficial to both her health and the case that she sees a friendly face when she opens her eyes."

"Yeah, but what about you, Bones? Don't you miss my friendly face?" he tried to get the real person in her to surface. He just wanted to hear her smile - and yes - he could hear it in her voice or even in her breathing when she smiled.

For a moment, she dropped her guard and looked up at the glass ceiling, at the sky that lay beyond, instead of the small skeleton of a 7-year-old boy. She allowed a soft, loving smile to curl around her lips as she thought of his friendly face and being the one to see it first thing in the morning. "Of course I do, Booth, but this case comes first, right? I have a lot of work to do and so do you. I should really," she stopped and clasped her hand over her mouth trying to disguise the yawn she couldn't hold back, "...really get back to work."

"That sounds like I should come home tonight to tuck you in and make sure you stay where I put you," he said, not wanting their conversation to end, yet. "I miss you, darling," he said quietly, not knowing whether the endearment would please or upset her.

She left the platform and walked into her office, where she shut the door behind her. "I miss you too, Booth. And I would very much appreciate it if you could come home tonight, but if she wakes up and you prefer to accompany her, that is okay, too." She was quiet for a few moments. "If I was her, I wouldn't want to be left alone either. And especially not in a hospital, considering these children have all been unwilling organ donors."

"Right. Yes. Are you in your office?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact I am, why?"

"So I can ask you a personal question. Considering the likely involvement of foster kids - does this case upset you on a deeper level? How do you feel?"

"My feelings are irrelevant to the case, Booth. You know that. My feelings won't change the outcome or any of the conclusions we come to. Of course this is very upsetting for me, just like it is for everybody involved, but I will do my job, Booth," she told him, not very fond of him for bringing it up when she was about to return and continue with the examination of the human remains, having to bear witness to the trauma they had all sustained. Surely he understood it would only become more difficult for her to do her job if she started to compare herself to the victims, right? She was reminded of the Lauren Eames case and started to pace in an attempt to get rid of that particular horrible memory.

"Okay," he relented, "I wasn't questioning you, Bones, I'm just trying to look out for you. Personal cases are... well, they're personal, and it's harder, so you need some support. You know what, I'm coming home tonight, regardless. I'll make arrangements for our girl, and I'm coming home tonight," he promised her.

"Just..." she was quiet for a moment and then added softly, "just make sure she's not alone, okay Booth? I don't want it to be my fault, should she wake up and find herself alone in that hospital bed," she admitted quietly.

"I'll make sure of that, Bones, and I'm going to find the nicest person I can. I promise you." She was being so professional in her words, and her voice betrayed such vulnerability, that he was now certain she wasn't coping well. So, he would go home and take care of her, as he'd vowed to himself he always would.

"Mr. Vaziri, Mr. Bray and Mr. Edison are heading this way. I'll talk to you later, Booth. Bye." She had been about to add something sentimental, to let him know she appreciated that he took such good care of her, but when Mr. Edison put his hand on the doorknob and started to push the door open, she simply ended the conversation and grabbed her notes. They sat down and for the next few hours they went over the most visible damage the children's bones had revealed.

Booth stared at the phone in his hand a moment longer after she'd hung up. He was an ass for bringing that up in the middle of the case, but then, he just wanted to look out for her, and for the first time in years, she was letting him. She would let him that night, in any case. He was just worried about her. Perpetually so, it appeared. He sat down next to the girl - he could at least call her 'their girl' if he didn't know her name, it sounded nicer. "Honey," he said as he took her hand - warm this time, "I'm going to have to leave tonight. The lady who found you, she's the woman I love, and seeing all of the bones is making her very sad, so I have to be home to comfort her. She's working very hard, and we'd love to know your name. I know I've told you this many times before, but you're safe now, and it's okay to open your eyes. No one's going to hurt you, and -" Suddenly, he got an insight. If this girl was a foster kid, he'd learned from his partner what was the most important thing to them. "And I'm not going to leave you." He looked at her for a long time, but she didn't move. Heaving a sigh, he stroked the back of her hand with this thumb and sat down next to the bed.

After a few hours of extensive and very intense debate concerning the children's injuries and how they had been caused, Brennan decided that her interns needed a few hours off. She contacted Cam and asked her to make sure the interns wouldn't have to do more than four hours of work while they were examining these grim remains. Cam agreed and sent the three interns home. Since it was only 5:30PM, she didn't call for Miss Wick, Mr. Fisher or any of the other interns. Cam had suggested to Brennan that she could go home as well, but she'd shaken her head and told Cam she was more than capable of handling her job. Then, she had retreated to the platform, where she started to examine the first Jane Doe in depth.

Booth had called the nicest woman he knew in the Bureau; she was very fond of children and turned from a bad-ass into a soft, loving person whenever there were kids around. For reasons nobody knew, she had no kids of her own, so Booth felt he could ask her to stay the night with his girl. Theresa had agreed immediately and was at the hospital by 6PM. Booth had thanked her and introduced her to his girl, who was still not moving. Yet, Booth sensed that there was something going on inside her still little body. Especially, in her brain. Just a gut feeling, of course, but he put faith in those. He promised to be back in the morning and went home, only to find it empty. Shaking his head, he descended the stairs and got back into his SUV. "Bones, Bones, Bones. You terribly amazing woman," he muttered. He drove straight to the Jeffersonian and went onto the platform. "I'm here to abduct Dr. Temperance Brennan, so no protests, please," he said as he approached her. He startled when she looked up at him. She seemed to be a shade paler than their girl, looking worn and exhausted. "Jesus, Bones, you look like hell," he admonished her and got to her side of the exam table. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pressed her against him, careful as she was still holding a piece of bone in her hands. He kissed her temple. "I've missed you a ridiculous amount. Let's go home."

"Booth," she straightened, ready to complain and tell him she couldn't go home yet, that there was too much work to do and that she had not even finished examining _one_ set of remains. However, when she straightened, she must have moved too quickly, because she became light-headed and swayed on her feet for a moment. She forgot her complaints, gently laid the rib down on the table and took her gloves off.

"That's what I mean, Bones," he said as he felt her lose balance for a moment. "You're coming home. You've been giving a hundred percent, now you need to recuperate."

She nodded in agreement and together they walked into her office to collect her coat and purse. Then Booth walked her to his car and drove her home.

He kept his hand securely on his spot on her lower back as they walked. She was beyond the point of exhaustion, he sensed. Once inside, he locked the door behind them and turned on some lights. He took her coat and led her to the couch, where he gently pushed her back into the cushions and pulled off her boots. Then, he went into the kitchen and returned with two glasses of mixed-fruit juice. He handed her one and kicked off his own shoes as well. He settled on the couch and pulled her against him. "This feels better, doesn't it?" he asked her as he closed his eyes as he could feel the pleasant tingling response of his body - or hormones, or whatever - to having her against him.

She nodded as she sipped the drink he'd given her. It was the first thing she'd had today with any nutritional value to it and it felt good. "Have you spoken to the doctors yet?"

"They're monitoring her, other than that, there isn't much they can do until she wakes up. They've treated her wounds; some were gnawed on by insects, can you believe that she lived through that? She looks better though, more alive. There's some colour in her face, and her hand feels warm. You know, she has the craziest natural hair colour I've ever seen. Flaming red. Curly. She's special."

She looked up at Booth for a long time, as the love she felt for this man slowly filled her being and warmed her up from the inside, soothing her frazzled nerves. After a long silence, she smiled at him and shook her head. "To you, she's special, Booth. Most people would disagree with you." She put her drink on the table and wrapped an arm around his waist as she closed her eyes and listened to his heartbeat inside of his chest, feeling his warmth radiate through his shirt and seemingly into her. "When you're a foster kid, you're not special to anyone," she added quietly.

"You've always been special to me, even when I didn't know you yet," he smiled and held her tightly. Oh, how he wished he could have been there for her in those times. Her experiences from back then affected her so much still today. "Every kid is special to me; I'd help them all if I could. Especially the vulnerable ones, like foster kids, who depend on strangers."

She took his hand in between hers and gently caressed his knuckles. "I know you would never turn your back on those in need, but not all people react that way, Booth. I'm just happy we found her and that she's still alive. I hope she'll wake up soon, so she can start healing. She's lucky to have you."

_Have me?_ Booth thought, and then he realised, that _yes, he was going to be there for this little miracle. _God had meant for it to happen this way, and he was to make sure this little thing would be all right. "I want to help her. Would you be my partner in that?" he asked her as he gently stroked her arm.

"I am a registered foster parent, so I could try to have her placed in my care, but that would mean I could no longer work the case and they might even take you off as well," she warned him, not wanting him to make decisions without knowing all the consequences.

"Not if I decide as the lead detective in the case that she's evidence, and that her story's evidence. That means I could get custody of her until the case is closed."

"Hm," she thought about it for a moment, "I hadn't considered that," she smiled softly at him. "I must admit I'm very tired. I like your idea though. I want to continue working on this case, not only for the victims, but for my interns as well. They were exhausted after our meeting and they hadn't even dealt with the actual remains for any significant amount of time. I already asked Cam not to give them shifts longer than four hours. She agreed."

"You're still the toughest one out there, Bones," he chuckled as he playfully bumped his fist into her shoulder. "I like that. Want to go to bed?"

"Yes, I would." She smiled and got up. It always made her feel happy and accepted on the inside when he displayed signals of pride towards the fact that she was an independent individual. Once he was standing, she gently kissed his cheek. "I'm going to get changed, if that's okay with you. "

"Of course, Bones. I'll clean up here and turn off the lights. See you in a bit." He pressed a quick kiss to the softness of her lips and got to work.

She disappeared into the bathroom, where she decided that another quick shower was in order. She indulged and used one of her more expensive shower gels and shampoos even though she was just going to bed. She took the time to blow dry her hair and finally changed into her nightgown. When she left the bathroom, she noticed Booth had left the light in the hallway turned on, while all the other lights were out. She was touched by his caring gesture and joined him in their bedroom.

He was waiting for her in bed, having brushed his teeth in the kitchen. "You smell delicious," he commented appreciatively and pulled her under the covers with him.

"Thank you," she whispered back as she got settled underneath the duvet, laying down, facing him in the dark. "Booth?"

He found her hand and intertwined their fingers. "Yes, Bones?"

"What would happen to her after the case? I mean, what do you envision in the long run? Would you want her to stay with us, or would it be a temporary thing?"

"It depends on what she wants, and what we want, and what's best. I think we can decide that when the time comes, but I'm open to anything at this point. I just want her to be one of the kids who come out of this a successful human being, like you."

"I want that as well for her," she heaved a troubled sigh as she closed her eyes and the skeletal remains flashed behind her eyes. She scooted a bit closer to Booth and rested her head on his shoulder.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. His body felt warm with love for her. In that moment, he was ridiculously happy. He thought about their little girl in the big white hospital bed, and he hoped she would wake up soon. He just needed to know her name. "You're a good person, Bones."

"I just don't understand, Booth," she admitted softly as she allowed herself to be vulnerable and clearly upset in his presence, "how can anyone do that to another person? To a child! I don't understand why people would bring any more children into this life, when things like this just happen. Children go missing and nobody seemingly cares or looks for them."

Booth gently caressed her back, feeling the tension and exhaustion in her body. "But we do, Bones. We care, and we'll help. This case can only be kept under the radar for so long; soon, it'll be on nation-wide news, and it'll bring awareness to forgotten children."

She had just meant that knowing what they knew, she wasn't so sure she would like to have children of their own, only to expose them to a world seemingly filled with hatred, distrust and people who were selfish and wouldn't think twice about hurting someone else for their own benefit. She closed her eyes again and focused on Booths soft massage, reminding herself that there was still love and hope to be found in this world.

"Let me know if you can't sleep, okay?" he asked her. "You're very tense."

She nodded. "You asked me how I was feeling, but what about you? Did you get some sleep last night? Does your back hurt?"

"I napped, sort of. It's okay, I didn't need my energy anyway. And I did my exercises, so it's not so bad."

She pushed herself up on her elbow and gently splayed her fingers over his chest, rubbing slow circles over the centre of his chest with her thumb, "Anything I can do for you?"

"Yes, darling, rest," he said, as he caught her wrist and gently pushed her back down.

She settled down once more and rested her head on his shoulder as she closed her eyes, trying to will her body to fall asleep.

He enveloped her in his arms and stroked her back, knowing it would relax her at least a little, until she fell asleep.

Brennan slowly relaxed in Booth's arms, basking in the warmth and care he provided. Her breathing evened out and her thought process slowed down until she was lulled to sleep by his constant, rhythmic breathing, the gentle reassurance of his touch and the determined beat of his heart.

It took ages, but finally he could tell she was asleep. She'd relaxed into him, and he loved that she was letting down her guard with him. A short while later, he, too, fell asleep, the image of her beautiful face still on his retinas.

* * *

**We realise that they've attached rather more quickly than is realistic to the girl, but we wanted that to happen so we can keep the story moving forward. Also, we basically do what we want when we write, sometimes it will be more AU or realistic than other times. We hope this was acceptable, though ;).**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you to all of our readers and reviewers, our heart always beats a little faster when we see that we have a new follower, a new review or that someone is letting us know it's among their favourite stories! **

**And now, ladies and gentlemen... It's time to meet our little girl...**

* * *

Chapter 3: The Voice in the Notebook

Isobel woke up and the first thing she realized where all the awful, but familiar smells. She was in a hospital... again. She was surprised to realize that her tummy didn't hurt the way it had last time. Slowly her eyes opened and she blinked, just once. She took the blankets and held them closely to her as she looked around. A man was sitting next to her. She didn't know who he was, so she just blinked as she remained silent and stared at him.

Booth had dozed off when he heard a change in her breathing pattern. He sat upright and watched as her eyes opened, blinking once. He recognised the green eyes, but they held more life, now. Thank God. "Hey, honey," he smiled and said softly as he caught her gaze. "My name is Booth, and I'm going to help you and stay with you. Nobody's going to hurt you. Do you understand?"

She relaxed somewhat when she heard his voice. It was the voice from in her dreams. It had stayed with her, and she hadn't been as scared as other times. She nodded once, but other from that, she didn't move or respond to him.

"Hey, smart girl," he smiled at her. "You know what I'd really like to know? I'd like to know your name. My name is Booth. What's your name?"

She knew her name, it was Isobel of course, but she wasn't going to tell him that. Too many people had asked for her name and it had all ended in a hospital room with a lot of pain in her tummy. She finally didn't feel any pain anymore. She didn't want it back.

He gave her time, but she didn't answer. "It's okay, sweetheart. I'm going to call the doctor who fixed your tummy so he can see that you're awake, all right?" he said and reached for the button.

She just looked at him as he pushed the button. He was big. Very big... but he wasn't scary. And he called her sweetheart. Nobody had ever called her that. He seemed nice.

Booth had been taking notes before she woke up. He left his notebook and pen on the bed when the doctor came in a few minutes later. They stood by the door and talked for a little while before approaching the bed.

Curiously she picked the little notebook up and looked through it, but she couldn't read anything. She hoped they would give her some water, but she couldn't make her voice work. With trembling fingers she wrote down, _Water, please?_ and left the notebook open on that page, hoping the nice man would see it. She decided if he would give her some water, she'd tell him her name.

Booth had told the doctor that he suspected brain damage had occurred. He wasn't entirely sure the girl was understanding him, and she wasn't very responsive. They went to the bed so the doctor could examine her, and Booth quickly took his notebook to make room. "I'm just going to take a look at your tummy, okay?" the doctor said what he was about to do, "I won't hurt you."

The moment she saw the doctor, she panicked. She started to tremble and she pressed herself into the furthest corner on the bed, her tiny frame pressed up against the bars around the bed. Her eyes were big and wide and while fear coursed through her veins, she looked up at the other one. Was he going to help her like he promised? Or would he turn out to be another mean liar like the rest of them had been?

Booth held out his palm to the doctor in a stop sign. "Wait, she's scared." The doctor stopped and Booth explained, "We know about what happened to you, sweetheart. A doctor hurt you, didn't he?" It broke his heart to see his little girl scared and trembling, and he gently brushed her hair out of her face.

She looked up and nodded again, hiding behind his hand from the scary man in a long white coat.

"Well, I'm here now, and I'll make sure this doctor doesn't hurt you, okay? This is a real doctor, I just spoke with him and he's very nice. He told me he wishes you will be healthy and playing again soon. That's nice, isn't it?"

Hesitantly, she nodded, but still didn't trust the other one. The mean people from before had told her the same things, but her tummy had hurt real badly after the last doctor had touched her.

"How about I show the doctor your tummy, just so he can make sure he's fixed it correctly, and he won't touch you. Is that okay for you?"

Slowly, she moved to lay down again, but she made sure to keep her gaze fixed on the doctor. She wasn't going to let them hurt her again. She swallowed and released her tight grip on the blankets, which were still covering her. Her breathing sped up as the nice man gently lifted her shirt.

Booth was appalled by the size of the dressing. Somehow it was a see-through one; he'd never seen it before. He had to look away as the doctor leaned over and studied the wound with his hands behind his back. Booth quickly scanned his notes, but he was on the wrong page - wait a second. _Water, please?_ Who'd - Booth looked at the little girl. "You want some water?"

She nodded, without taking her eyes off of the doctor. He was very close, but at least his hands were behind his back, so he couldn't touch her. Hurt her.

"You wrote this?" Booth asked her, showing her the notebook.

She nodded again. When the doctor stood up straight, she put her shirt back down and reached for the blanket with trembling fingers. She grabbed it and pulled it up to her chin.

Booth was elated. The girl was smart! Perhaps the brain damage wasn't too bad. He tucked her in carefully and caressed her cheek. "Good girl. We'll get you some water, honey."

The doctor said the wound looked as well as could be expected and that he'd send a nurse with water.

"Can you also write your name?" Booth asked her as he handed her the notebook.

She wrote down her name and added a small thank you for the water. As soon as she'd handed the notebook back, she hid almost completely underneath the blankets, missing the small little bear one of the older kids had given her. She'd been very careful to hide it underneath her bed, only getting it out in the middle of the night when the pain was too much, but she missed her best friend. It would've been nice to have something familiar.

"Isobel," Booth smiled. "Finally, I know your name. Are you in pain?" he asked her.

She shook her head. She was confused and a bit scared still, but not in pain.

"Good," he said. "If you're in pain, I want you to let me know so we can make it go away, okay? For instance, you could just squeeze my hand like this," he said and took her tiny hand in his, then squeezed it lightly.

His hand was nice and warm and he didn't hurt her one bit when he squeezed her hand. Her eyes widened when the nurse came in with a plastic cup. It was put down on the table and she stared at it longingly, hoping it would really be just water and nothing else.

Booth thanked the nurse and moved the head end of the bed up so Isobel could drink. He held the cup to her lips and nodded encouragingly when she looked at him.

She sniffed the water and when she didn't smell anything funny she took a small sip. She had a little taste, but when she didn't taste anything weird either, she drank a little more. That was better.

Slowly, she began to drink more and more. She didn't seem to trust anything or anyone. Except him, maybe. When she'd had enough, Booth told her, "I work with people who are trying to find out what happened to you and the other children. We want to catch who did it and put him or her in jail. Is that a good idea?"

_Oh yes_, she thought, _that was a very good idea._ She still remembered the name of the doctor that had been embroidered on his white coat. She held out her hand for the notebook and soon, it was placed on her small palm.

"Just write down what you remember, what you can tell me about who hurt you," he encouraged her.

She wasn't sure how to say it, but she did remember his name, because she'd only heard songs and stories about kings, and the kings in those stories and songs were never bad, but this man had been. She concentrated and remembered it was Kingsley. She wasn't sure how to write it, so she did her best. She added that he had grey hair, had blue eyes and wore glasses. That was all she could remember. She gave him the notebook back and laid down again, curling into a ball underneath the covers.

"This is really helpful, Isobel. You're doing a great job. I'm going to call my colleagues to tell them what you just told me, and they will work very hard to find Kingsley." He smiled at her. "I'm proud of you, sweetheart."

He was smiling at her and telling her all these sweet things. He hadn't yelled at her or hurt her once, so she hoped that this time - unlike the other times she'd asked this question - he would say yes. She waited until he gave her the notebook back and wrote her question down. _Are you my new daddy now?_

Booth's heart swelled as he read her innocent question. "You know what? That's up to you. But I will make sure that you're safe from now on. I will make sure nobody will hurt you again."

She nodded and closed her eyes, slowly drifting back to sleep.

"Good girl, rest," he said as he stroked her hair. Then, he went to the other side of the room and called Brennan.

"Dr. Brennan," she answered, without checking to see who it was as she pinned the phone between her ear and her shoulder, snapping her gloves off.

"Bones, she's awake," Booth said excitedly. "Her name is Isobel."

"Oh that's good news, Booth," Brennan agreed with him. "How is she feeling? Has the doctor seen her yet?" With the good news Booth was delivering her, she forgot her own discomforts momentarily, as well as the vision of the endless rows of bones in front of her, which had belonged to those less fortunate than Isobel.

"She's doing as well as can be expected. She writes me notes, but she doesn't speak. May be brain damage. She's frightened, the poor thing. And Bones, she gave me the name of the guy who hurt her. Kingsley." He gave her the other information.

"I'll get Angela to do a search. And if she's able to write notes, the chances of her having brain damage have been drastically decreased," she told him, knowing he was worrying about that possibility. "Will you be staying over at the hospital then, tonight?"

"I really should; she's very frightened. If we can get her to speak, Angela could make a drawing of Kingsley's face."

"I can ask Angela to come over, maybe she has ways to make the drawing without need of a verbal conversation. If you would like, I can bring over dinner so you won't have to leave her alone."

"If you're not too tired, I'd love that. How are things at the lab?"

"A bit slower than I would like, but we are making progress." Her interns couldn't work more than four hours on this particular case at once and she was experiencing light-headedness, but every time she tried to eat, even the smell of it was enough to make her think twice about her decision to eat, and so far, she had yet to eat either breakfast or lunch.

"Is Angela doing reconstructions yet?" Booth asked her. She sounded exhausted again.

"She's doing the best she can, but there is very little to go on, why?" Brennan informed him.

"Isobel's not in Missing Persons. Maybe one of the other kids are."

"You mean she wasn't even filed missing?" Brennan asked and swayed lightly on her feet before she managed to descend the platform and make her way to her office. "I'll - I'll have Angela check."

"You okay, there, Bones?" Booth asked her worriedly as he picked up on the unsteadiness of her voice.

"Yes," she told him, even though she had been better. "It's just hard to imagine that nobody would notice she was gone."

"I know. She's just a kid. Kids are monitored. In school, families, friends, sports clubs, the government even. This is really weird. We'll be checking the other databases."

"Yes we will. I'll send Angela over, she'll have a look into this as well and then I'll come see both of you. Take care of her, Booth."

"Take care of you, Bones. Eat something, okay?"

"I tried," she replied honestly, "but it just came back out, so I'm not inclined to eat more. Once my stomach is settled, I'll eat," she promised.

"What? Bones! Are you telling me you threw up? That you're sick and working crazy hours?"

"Well yes, I did throw up, but I don't believe I'm sick. I'm not running a fever and I haven't been nauseous anymore. And I'm not working crazy hours. I only got in at nine today, because you let me sleep in," she added in her defense.

He heaved a small sigh, realising that small ears were probably picking up on every word.

"Darling, I'm worried about you," he said in a soft voice. "Come here tonight and we'll work something out. If you don't feel well enough, go home and I'll be there, too. I love you."

Isobel held the blanket a little tighter when her new daddy told the other person on the phone that he would be home tonight. Tears gathered in her eyes, but she made sure not to cry. At least this daddy wasn't hurting her.

"Booth," she sighed, "you don't have to be worried, I can assure you, I have everything under control. I'll come over tonight with dinner and then we'll see, okay?"

"Okay, but I'm still worried. Take care, Bones."

"I will, Booth. You too. I'll see you later."

Booth quickly texted Angela and called his colleagues, then went back to Isobel. "Hey honey," he said gently, "Bones, my girlfriend, is coming to have dinner with us. She's been working very hard to find out what happened to you, so she's really tired. She's very nice, though, and she's been worried about you. She's also very happy that you're awake."

Isobel pointed at his notebook and soon, she had it in her small hands, _What's her name?_

"Temperance Brennan. But I call her Bones," he smiled. "She's a scientist. She's the smartest person I've ever met."

_Ok,_ she then scribbled some more, before she managed to muster up the courage to ask her next question. It was scary sometimes to ask things, but it was even more scary to not know things. _Will she take you home?_

"Only if she's very sick. And I will make sure that you're not alone. A very good friend of ours is coming, too. Her name is Angela. She draws very pretty pictures, because she's an artist."

_Will she stay?_ she showed him the notebook. So far he had made sure nobody would hurt her. He was a good daddy to her. The best.

"Yes, someone will always be here to stay with you. You don't have to be alone anymore." He put his hand on her little one and looked into her eyes.

It was in that moment that she decided to trust him. Completely. She beamed a shy smile at him and gently squeezed his hand to thank him.

Booth leaned forward and softly kissed her forehead. He combed her hair behind her ears and smiled at her. "Are you feeling okay, sweetheart?"

She nodded and scooted a bit closer to him. She took his hand and placed it over her cheek as she wrapped her other arm around his. She missed holding something. She still missed her teddy bear, but this was the next best thing. Slowly, feeling safe and protected, she fell asleep.

Booth's heart melted. He wanted to scoop her up into his arms and hold her, but he was mindful of her injuries and gave her the comfort she sought in him. Watching her sleep, he waited for Angela and Brennan to arrive.

Angela stopped the car and killed the engine. "You sure you're all right, sweetie?" she asked her best friend, who still looked pale and beyond exhausted. The only response she got was a quick nod, then they left the car.

Brennan grabbed the take out food and went inside. She was very happy Angela had offered to join her. Maybe, Booth could come home, even if it was for a few hours, until she'd fallen asleep. She disliked falling asleep on her own in that big bed. The elevator made a soft sound and the doors opened. They got inside, the doors closed and the elevator whizzed to the second floor. It only took them a few seconds to find the room which held Isobel and Booth.

Since Brennan had her hands full, Angela gently knocked and pushed open the door. Her heart melted at the sight in front of her and she had to force her tears back. "She asleep?" Angela whispered.

"Hey, ladies," Booth greeted them happily. "She's been asleep for a while. My arm is asleep, too, but look at that little thing, huh? Isn't she the cutest little girl?"

"Oh, Booth, she is!" Angela agreed, whispering softly as Brennan put the take out food down on the table and sat down. She started to unpack their dinner and frowned when she realized they didn't have any cutlery.

Booth very carefully extracted his hand and tucked Isobel in. Then, he walked over to his partner and wrapped his arms around her. "Hey beautiful," he whispered in her ear and kissed her temple. She felt very weak in his hold, he noticed, her energy level was obviously low. "Let's eat something."

"We can't. I forgot to ask for plastic forks and knives." She rested her head on his shoulder as she embraced him. "I'll go down to the kitchen in a minute."

He kissed the top of her head. "Of course not. I'll take care of it. Ange, you wanna come with me to get drinks?"

"Yes," She gently squeezed Brenn's shoulder. "We'll be back in a few moments."

Brennan smiled gratefully and walked over to the little girl as they left. Booth was right, she noticed. Isobel did look a lot better, healthier than the last time she'd seen her. She turned around again to finish unpacking the food as the room spun around her. She lost her balance, her grip on the bars around the bed loosened as she fell.

* * *

**A/N: We know it ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, but we promise all will be all right in the end. **

**Feel free to let us know what you think is going on with Brennan...**

**Thanks for reading, we hope you enjoyed reading it as much as we enjoyed writing it.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Our readers are obviously the smartest. Please enjoy the next chapter, we'll try to upload more quickly from now on! Thanks again for all of your reactions. This chapter is M-rated, just so you've been warned. It's tasteful, though, and loving :).**

* * *

Chapter 4: The Child in the Anthropologist

Luckily, the cafeteria wasn't as crowded as it could be. Angela got coffee, tea and orange juice as Booth found the cutlery. Together, they carried everything upstairs and entered the room.

"Oh my God, Bones!" Booth exclaimed as he saw his partner lying motionless on the floor. He quickly put the drinks on the table and rushed to her side.

In the bed, Isobel was looking wide-eyed at the woman on the floor.

Booth kept saying her name, quickly felt for a pulse, which was there. He loosened whatever clothing he could and cupped her cheek in his hand. "Bones, come on!"

She blinked a few times and frowned as several images of Booth swarmed above her and all faded into one. She looked around and realised she was on the floor. "I'm okay, Booth. Just a little light-headed."

Angela walked over to them and gently caressed the young girl's hair, offering comfort, which the girl willingly accepted.

"Hush, Bones, no more of that. Stay down," he told her as he reached for the nurse's button next to Isobel's bed. In about twenty seconds, a nurse appeared. She called something into the hallway and her colleague appeared with a bed she was apparently just moving. "Can you get on the bed, honey?" the nurse asked Brennan.

"I'm just a little light-headed from the lack of food, that's all. I just need to eat," she tried to explain herself as she stood, not getting on the bed.

"Bones, would you get on to the bed, please?" Booth urged her. She'd just given him a heart-attack for which he'd need a triple bypass. He had to know what was wrong with her.

"Booth, it's just a little fatigue and hunger. It's nothing some food and a bit of sleep won't heal."

He took a step closer to her and held her hand. "Bones, please?"

"Brenn, sweetie, just get yourself checked out. I will take care of this one. Just go," Angela encouraged her. With a tired sigh, she did as she was asked and sat down on the bed. She was wheeled out of the room and into an empty adjacent one.

The nurse measured her blood pressure and asked a few questions. "Your blood pressure is way too low. I don't think there's anything gravely wrong with you, except... when was your last period?"

Oh no. Not now. "I'm not sure," she responded vaguely, although she knew. It had been too long ago. Longer than the usual four weeks.

The nurse realised her mistake. "We can talk in private if you want," she offered.

She nodded, making sure not to look Booth in the eye. She'd been feeling so upset over this case and the way that Isobel and the other children had been treated that she had once again experienced serious doubts about parenthood. If she would turn out to be pregnant now... she had no idea what to do with that information. Or how to process the fact that their child might already be growing inside of her womb.

Booth watched her nod tightly and purposely avoiding his gaze before the nurse guided her out of the room.

Angela approached him. "I'll stay with Isobel. You should take her home. Talk to her, Booth."

Brennan was wheeled into an examination room and looked at the nurse. "You believe I'm pregnant, don't you?" When the nurse nodded, so did Brennan. "I'm afraid you're right."

"I can do a pregnancy test now, if you'd like to be certain."

"Yes, please." Brennan agreed. She had ignored the possibility she realised now, because she didn't want to face the consequences, but she no longer had a choice. She had to know.

The nurse opened a cabinet and got a syringe and other supplies. "I'm just going to take a small amount of blood and this strip will give a temporary answer," she said as she showed her patient. "The lab will take a bit longer, but at least you'll have an indication."

She nodded, but Brennan already had an indication, based on her body and how she was feeling. The strip agreed with her a few moments later. "How long before the results from the lab are back?"

"I can get them for you tomorrow," the nurse smiled, "since you're not an official patient. There will be hardly any paper work."

"I would appreciate that. Anything else? Or can I return to my friends?" she asked as she got off of the bed.

"Yes, here are some phone numbers you may want to look at. And you must take care of yourself, especially in the first trimester. Not a drop of alcohol, rest, and good nutrition."

She looked at the phone numbers. There were numbers of OBGYNs, but also a number for prenatal classes and another number for an abortion clinic. She put the numbers in her pocket and nodded. "Thank you, I will." She left the examination room and returned to Isobel's room.

"Any news?" Booth asked as Brennan came back in. He and Angela had sat with Isobel, but he couldn't think of anything but his partner. Obviously, the nurse had suggested a pregnancy, and Brennan had fled the scene. He needed to know what was going on.

"No. I was advised to go home and rest. I would like to do that now," she told them matter of factly as she started to pack the food back up.

Booth caught her wrist. "Yes, but first - we eat," he insisted.

She looked up at him, but quickly looked away. She sat down and reached for her knife and fork. She hated being dishonest with him, especially because he always seemed to know, but she didn't want to talk about this. Not yet. Not while she still had to figure out what she wanted.

Booth sat down, too, and Angela gave Isobel a reassuring smile and joined them. Booth felt the tension as they ate, and yes, he was going to go home and talk to her tonight.

They ate quietly and quickly. She couldn't finish her plate, but she felt stronger, more focused. "Ange, will you be okay spending the night here?" When her friend nodded, she stood and looked at Booth. "I guess it's time to go home then."

They cleared the table and Booth went to Isobel. She was frowning worriedly at him, and he took both of her little hands in his. "I'll be back tomorrow, okay? Angela's going to stay with you tonight. You won't be alone."

Isobel nodded as she looked at him. Angela was kind and had a beautiful smile. She bravely squeezed his hands and closed her eyes.

Brennan was already putting her coat on and gathering her things. She nodded at Angela, who understood and nodded in response.

Then Angela's gaze shifted to Booth. "I'll take good care of her. We'll see you tomorrow."

Booth quickly pecked Angela's cheek. "You're the best, Ange." Then, he put his hand on Brennan's lower back and guided her to his car.

The ride home was a silent one as she played with the cards in her pocket, trying to decide what to do. Trying to figure out what it was she wanted.

Once inside, Booth took her coat and handed her two vitamin pills. He took a deep breath. "You're pregnant, aren't you?"

"Most likely, yes," she answered him honestly as she took the pills with some water.

His face broke into an elated smile, and he took a step closer to her, wanting to pick her up and spin her around and kiss her. But then, he noticed the look in her eyes, and he stopped. "How - how do you feel about it?"

"I don't know." Another honest answer. She looked up at him. "I meant it that night, Booth. The world is apparently filled with people who won't think twice about abducting children and using them as organ donors... who would want to bring new life into such a world?" Slowly, she shook her head. "I don't think I want that."

He swallowed. "That wouldn't happen to our child. We can protect our children, educate them. It's us, the parents, who make sure they're all right. We can do that, Bones."

"And what if next time you get shot the bullet enters your heart?" she looked at him. "What if the next time I'm abducted you're not there to save me? What will become of him or her then? Will you risk it? 'Cause I don't know how," she told him honestly, tears burning behind her eyes.

"Well, that would be horrible, but we could make back-up plans. Angela and Hodgins, your Dad, even my brother..."

"I simply don't know if I want children of my own anymore, Booth," she told him quietly as she put the phone numbers down which she had been given. "I need time to think."

He took the steps forward now and enveloped her in his embrace, holding her tightly. "Of course, Bones," he said softly as he rubbed her back. "And I'll always be here for you."

"Even if this is the number I end up dialling?" she asked him quietly, but calmly as she looked into his eyes, needing to see, more than hear, his response, holding up the phone number of the abortion clinic. The moment she picked it up though, she felt slightly nauseous, as if she was sickened by the idea itself.

"I couldn't do anything but support you on that, also," he replied honestly, "However difficult it may be for me."

She nodded and tightened her grip on him. "I know," she whispered as her tears slowly started to fall.

"Hey, come here, you," he said as he swept her off her feet and carried her to the couch, where he held her to him and caressed her as she let go of some of the tension. He kissed her tenderly and held her, his heart filled with love.

She wrapped his arms tightly around his neck as she fought for control over her emotions. Gradually, she calmed down. "Can we go to bed? I'm tired," she whispered softly.

"You're so tense, Bones. Maybe we should take a bath first. Just to relax," he suggested as he continued stroking her back.

She thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "A hot bath would be nice," she agreed.

He kissed her cheek and shifted her so she was settled on the couch. He went into the bathroom and turned the faucet all the way open. Then, he adjusted the temperature and let the water fill the tub. "Come, let me take care of you," he told Brennan a few moments later as he offered her his hand.

She took it and followed him into the bathroom. She walked over to the sink and opened the cupboard underneath it, pouring bath oil into the pouring water. The scent was relaxing and she stared at the water as a layer of foam formed slowly but surely.

Behind her, Booth took her jacket off her shoulders and hung it over a stool. Then, he rounded her and unbuttoned her blouse, which he also slipped off her body. Her top was next, followed by her boots, socks, and jeans. He kissed her shoulder as he took off her bra, and kneeled as he pulled down her panties. Subsequently, he quickly got rid of his own clothes. He turned off the water and stepped in, holding out his hand for her to follow.

Her eyes were still on the foam as he undressed her slowly and with care. She still didn't look at him as he undressed himself and stepped into the warm water, disrupting the foam. Brennan looked up at him then and lay her hand into his. It was only in contrast with his warmer skin that she suddenly realised how cold she was. She stepped into the bath and winced at the heat as it seemingly sunk into her skin.

Booth tucked her hair behind her ear before tenderly kissing her lips. God, she was gorgeous. She was quiet, but her stunning blue eyes told him everything he needed to know. He lowered himself into the water first, and got settled as she took her time adjusting to the warm temperature.

It took her longer than Booth, but eventually, she sat down in the bathtub, between his spread legs and rested her back against his chest, her hands protectively laying over her lower abdomen, not sure who she was trying to protect, the baby inside of her or herself.

Booth placed soft kisses along her neck as he placed one hand over hers on her lower abdomen and intertwined their fingers with his other hand.

"I feel..." she thought about it for a moment, before she continued, "confused. And upset. And -," she swallowed before admitting the rest, getting to the heart of the problem. "And scared."

He brought their hands to his face and kissed her knuckles. "You're not alone, Bones. And I understand that it's scary, and very ill-timed."

She nodded and slipped a little lower in the tub, so that only her head and shoulders were above the water. "You're right, but that's not what I'm scared of. I'm scared to make the wrong decision."

"It's true, it's an important decision. Life changing, whatever you choose. Which is why we should take our time and talk about it. You're not alone in this, Bones."

"Okay... We can talk about it. You want to keep it, don't you?" she asked softly, knowing that he had always wanted more children.

"What I want is, first of all for you to be happy, second, that we're together, and third, yes, I really want to keep it, but it's not my choice to make. It's your body."

"It's yours, too. Do you really think it gives me the right to end this pregnancy, because I'm the one carrying it?" she asked him quietly.

"Yes," he told her calmly. "Of course I could suggest a compromise where I would raise the baby, but in the end, if you don't want to have a child, I'm not going to force you. It wouldn't be right."

"I need to think, Booth." She looked up at him and smiled at him, seeing the sadness in his eyes. "I'm not saying yes or no, I just... I need to re-evaluate the facts."

He nodded his head once. "I'll accept that," he told her and caressed her cheek.

Slowly, she turned in his embrace and cupped his cheek in the palm of her hand. She pressed a kiss to his other cheek, then closed her eyes and relaxed her body against his, eyes closed, her head resting on his shoulder.

It felt so great to have her body against him, skin to skin, her warmth, her life against his. Her bare breasts pressed into his chest. He loved the softness of her body, and wrapped his arms around her waist and back.

She stayed close to him until the water began to cool. "Booth?" she spoke up softly.

"Hey, I began to think you were sleeping," he smiled at her.

"No," she told him, "I was merely thinking. Could we - I would like to wait to tell anybody about this pregnancy, at least until I've made up my mind. Can we do that?" She needed it to be her choice, so she wouldn't have anything to regret later.

"Sure we can," he assured her. "We should go to bed before we get cold."

She nodded and stood. Brennan stepped out of the bathtub and wrapped a towel around herself, drying her body.

Booth dried himself as well and let the water flush away. They walked to the bedroom naked, and he couldn't help but admire her way of motion, her muscular but feminine physique. Like a true super hero, he smiled to himself, and she'd chosen to be with him.

She pushed the blankets to the side and lay down in their bed. She smiled up at him and held her hand out in a silent invitation to join her in their bed.

"No PJs? I like it," he grinned and jumped into bed, quickly gathering her in his arms and kissing her face.

"I know you do," she smiled what felt like the first happy smile in days. She sighed a tired, yet relaxed, small sigh and closed her eyes as she settled in his embrace. "Thank you, Booth."

"For what?" he mumbled, snuggling his nose into the crook of her neck.

"For being you. For loving me. For being patient." Brennan entwined her fingers with his. "I love you, Booth," she told him for the first time. He knew of course, but this was the first time she'd actually said those words to him and even though she felt very self-aware, she knew it was the right thing to do. To say, so he would understand just how grateful she was to have him in her life.

His heart beat a little faster and he looked at her with love in his eyes. He tipped up her chin and kissed her with gentle intensity. "And I love you, Bones."

She closed her eyes and cupped the back of his head in her hand, holding him close to her as she deepened their kiss.

He returned her kiss with a passion coming straight from his heart. His hand slid firmly over her ribs, her waist, her hip, until he met the softness of her buttock.

She smiled against his lips as she entwined their legs, anchoring herself to him. Brennan's hand followed the same path, resting her hand on his bare lower back.

When she arched her back, pressing herself into him, he felt his body react and slowed down. "Darling, I understand if you're tired..." he began to say.

"Shh," she whispered, silencing him with another kiss, pressing her breasts firmly against his chest as she felt his penis harden against her thigh. Her hand slid back up, gently caressing his vertebrae, preventing him from moving away from her. She needed him to remind her of the good things in her life.

She felt needy, somehow, and he was eager to distract her mind. And body. He turned more serious as he kissed her, and his hand travelled to her mid-section, gliding over her ribs to finally cup her breast in his hand. He massaged the supple flesh for a while, then her other breast.

Her fingers slipped higher, gently massaging his scalp as she relaxed underneath his skilful touches. It seemed as if every one of them was designed to calm her down and replace the nervous anxiety she'd been feeling for days with calm and loving feelings. Her lips sought his again and she poured all the love she felt for him into her touch.

He knew she had a big heart, but she didn't always open it up to him. Now, though, he could feel everything of her and he offered her everything of him. His hips began to move slowly, rhythmically against her hips, building her arousal as well as his, and he kissed down from her lips to her heart, then closed his mouth around her nipple.

"Booth," she gasped his name softly as she clutched his body to hers. Her nipples already seemed to have heightened sensitivity due to her pregnancy, but she closed her eyes and focused on the feelings he was creating and stirring deep inside of her, for once preferring not to think.

He took his time sensitising her to his touches, heightening her pleasure. Then, he kissed back up to her lips and thrust his hips more forcefully into hers as his hand massaged her bottom. He gently lifted one of her legs and stroked her for a few moments before slipping one finger inside of her, testing her readiness.

"Oh," her breath hitched in her throat and she buried her face against the crook of his neck, rocking her hips against his hand. She swallowed and kissed the side of his neck, then whispered. "Please, Booth..."

"Guess we won't be needing a condom," he smiled softly and kissed her as he positioned himself and slowly pushed into her body.

She wrapped her arms around him as he penetrated her body with his, but it was more than that. He connected to her in a way that was uniquely them. She focused on the feeling of having his body inside of her once again, choosing not to linger on the fact that an embryo was forming and developing inside of her already. She stilled for a moment, but as she allowed her mind to focus on the present, she surrendered to his touch and relaxed again.

He ran his hand up and down her waist, over her ribs and her hip, squeezing her breast, as he thrust into her. He was still in control of his urges, warming up her body so that they'd both experience the most pleasure they could. This was one of their first times making love, but it felt so familiar already, yet so exciting and special. In this moment, they completely understood one another. They were one, impossible or not.

Brennan wrapped one arm around his neck as she wrapped the other around his waist, her feet on the bed, next to his knees, deliberately placing herself in a vulnerable position, granting him access to the deepest parts of her. She looked up into his eyes and as their gazes locked, she saw love. Adoration. Friendship. Passion. But there was also a hint of concern. She leaned up and kissed his throat, humming in pleasure against his skin.

He finally felt like they were connecting, communicating again. Her unexpected touch made him groan in pleasure as his hips shot forward, forcefully burying his erection in her soft, yielding body. "You're amazing," he moaned and cupped her cheek in his hand, taking the time to kiss her thoroughly, distracting himself from the sexual pleasure for a few moments. He wanted this to last forever. He slowed down and tightly rolled his hips over her pubic bone, rubbing her clitoris as he did so.

As he added the extra touch and care, she panted softly against his lips, controlling her body, not ready to give in yet. "I love you," she whispered again, looking into his dark brown eyes as her hips started to roll with his, letting him take the lead and trusting him to guide her - them - to where they wanted and needed to go.

He smiled. "I love you more," he said teasingly, yet truthfully, speeding up a little. "You're truly a unique person, Temperance Brennan, and I'm the luckiest guy on earth because you chose to be with me."

She let his words wash over her, healing little insecurities and doubts, chasing away small fears she hadn't been aware of before. Her fingernails gently trailed over his back as she kissed his chest, right above his heart.

He felt an urgent tightening of her inner muscles - and god they were strong - so he gave in and gently massaged her breasts as he thrust into her, faster, harder, until he felt her muscles tightening irregularly.

She clung to him and closed her eyes as her orgasm started deep within her and spread through the rest of her body as wave after wave of pleasure robbed her of her strength. Slowly, her grip on him lessened and she sank into the pillows, her body deeply satisfied and her mind finally at ease.

He came with her, her strong female body pulling the orgasm out of him. He rode out their orgasms, moving slower and slower within her, letting her down gently, until eventually he stilled and brushed the hair out of her face. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, her chin, and then, ever so softly, her lips.

Slowly she opened her eyes and somehow she managed to wrap her heavy limbs around him, holding Booth as close to her as humanly possible.

"It's okay," he smiled at her neediness, and stroked her hair, "I'm here for you, Bones. Always," he promised.

She nodded, "I know. You're always here when I need you. Even if I have yet to realise I'll need you. That's why I... I guess that's one of the reasons why I love you as much as I do. I know this is highly irrational, but I wish this moment could last."

"Wonderfully irrational," he agreed, and kissed her again.

"I don't understand why you love irrational things as much as you seem to, Booth." She was silent for a few moments, "I wish I could though. It would be irrational to have this baby, but maybe it could be wonderful as well..." she mused out loud.

"You'd be an awesome mother, Bones. I know you think having kids is complicated, but their one basic need is what you have enough of. Love."

She swallowed the lump in her throat down and whispered, "We'd be a family. A real, normal family."

"Ehm, not totally normal, Bones. But we'd be an amazing family nonetheless." He rested his hand over her lower abdomen and kissed her cheek.

"But so many things could go wrong..." She pressed his hand more firmly against her skin, seeking out his reassurances, now being open to listen to them and accept what he was saying.

"And it could go so right, and we'd love that baby so much, that everything can be overcome. You could finally have a family of your own. We could, together."

"You really believe that, don't you?" she whispered as she looked into his eyes.

"I'm convinced," he chuckled and intertwined their fingers.

"Do you think we'd be happy?"

"Very much so," he said seriously as he looked into her eyes. "Just promise me you'll give the baby your eyes."

She smiled. "Actually, chances are higher that he or she will have your eyes, but..." In the warmth of his embrace, the heat of his gaze and the love in his words, she could no longer think of a single reason to end the pregnancy willingly. " I'll do my very best," she whispered, her heartbeat elevated, hoping he would catch the deeper meaning of her statement.

"You'll do your best?" he repeated, insanely happy because he knew this was basically a yes to the pregnancy. "What about the toes?"

Her smile widened, "There will be ten of those hopefully."

"Fingers?" he asked, his voice a bit high with emotion.

"Eight," she answered determinedly, then added softly with a loving smile, "and two thumbs of course."

"I'd like to have a little Bones. A tiny scientist," he fantasised. "What about you?"

"A sweet little daddy's girl, with your kind heart and good soul. An artist perhaps, like Angela or a writer, like me..." she indulged in this little game, which was making her insanely happy. "What if it's a boy?"

"He'd be smart and abusing the fact. But he'd always return to his mother," he chuckled. "What do you think?"

"I think he'd be just like his father. Loyal. Kind. Loving. The kind of person everybody wants to be friends with."

"If I had a little girl, I'd spoil her to death," he admitted. "I've always had a weak spot for girls. Yeah, I'd love for her to be Daddy's little girl, but in the end, I'd want her to become more like you. Independent. Proud. Tough as nails."

"If I could choose, I wouldn't want her to be as hard as me. It can make for a lonely existence. But she - or he - is not me. Our baby would be a unique person. Booth," she sighed and kissed his cheek, resting her cheek against his. "Are you sure about this? And I mean, 100% sure?"

"I've been sure for a long time, Bones," he told her seriously.

"Will you help me? Remind me that - how did you put it - some things in life are wonderfully irrational?"

"Every day, Bones," he promised. "Whenever you need me to. Life can be beautiful. It's harder to see given what we do, but kids keep you grounded in that respect. Their innocence. The excitement of them growing up, becoming their own person - it's my favourite thing in the world. Besides you, of course," he winked at her.

Having all of her doubts taken away or at least put into perspective, she took a deep breath and sat up on bed. She sat on her knees and held his hand to her lower abdomen. "Booth, there is something I have to tell you," Brennan told him, feeling happy and excited about the news for the first time.

His eyes lit up. "What is it?"

She caressed the back of his hand with her thumb and held it firmly against her, as close as he could get to the embryo that had already evolved into a baby in their minds. A son or a daughter. "I'm pregnant," she smiled at him. "You're going to be a father."

His face broke into a smile, and he was drugged with happiness. "Best news I've ever had," he told her, then pulled her against him and kissed her silly. "God, I love you, Bones. Amazing woman that you are."

Brennan wrapped his arms around him and softly whispered a heartfelt thank you into his ear as they slowly settled back down in bed.

He knew that the next day, their moods would return to darkness because of the horrible case they were working on, but for now, they were in a beautiful place filled with love, where no darkness could reach.

* * *

**Your thoughts and comments are always welcome. How are we doing on the fluff? ;) Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks so much again for all of your wonderful feedback! It's so exciting to us that you enjoy what we've been enjoying as well :D. Here's the next part!**

* * *

Chapter 5 The Trust in the Agent

Brennan was hesitant as she approached their bedroom, where Booth was changing into a more comfortable outfit to pick up Isobel from the hospital. Cullen had agreed that Isobel would be safest at their home and he had even agreed to let Booth work from home. She'd left the Jeffersonian when he had called to let her know the good news, but when she'd got stuck in a traffic jam, her eyes had wandered while she waited for the cars to move, and they had strayed to a small shop where they sold toys for babies and ages up until ten. Immediately, her mind had been filled with thoughts of their own baby, but also the little girl's pale face and big eyes had come to mind. She'd parked the car and had got out. She still had no idea why she'd entered the shop and even less of an explanation why she had left it with two stuffed baby animals. She'd bought a dolphin and a dog. The dolphin because she liked them and the dog because it had reminded her of Isobel's big, sad eyes. She shouldn't be sad.

"Hey, Bones!" Booth greeted her with a big smile as she entered their bedroom. He came up to her, wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her lips. "Glad you could make it. Let's try to get a smile on that little angel's face today."

"I'm sure she'll be happy to know she'll be staying with us, with you in particular. I uhm," she could feel a blush forming on her cheeks but did her best to ignore it. "I have something for her. It's still downstairs. Will you take it with you when you go get her? I'll make sure the guest bedroom will be ready for our guest." She rushed through her words and kissed his cheek, turning to go, cursing the blush and sudden spat of insecurity.

Smiling, he caught her wrist just as she was leaving, and turned her around to face him. "Why don't you give it to her yourself?" he suggested.

"She only likes you, Booth. I want her to feel comfortable," she explained.

"One, that's not true. Two, even if it were true, if she's going to stay here, you two have to get to know each other better. So, come with me, Bones. I promise you'll like it."

Feeling empowered because of the faith he showed in her ability to care for Isobel as well as he could, she smiled. "I have a gift for you, too. Well," she amended her statement. "Actually, it's not for you, but I can't give it to the person whom I bought it for, so I'll have to give it to you."

Curious, Booth followed her downstairs. "Now what's the mystery about?"

She grabbed the paper bag and showed him the teddy bear shaped like a dog. "Do you think Isobel will like it?"

"What? Where did you get this? It's so cute!" Booth asked her disbelievingly, impressed once again with the big heart she hid under her professional demeanour.

"It's from a little shop about three blocks away from the Jeffersonian. That one is for Isobel and this one is... well for you, but only for the next nine months." She felt the blush returning, so she quickly grabbed the dolphin and thrust it into his hands.

"Bones, that's amazing!" he exclaimed, then crouched down in front of her belly. "Daddy's going to hang on to this for you, little one."

She smiled; it never ceased to amaze her how intensely the man in front of her could love someone else. Could love her. "Come on, we don't want to keep her waiting, Booth."

"Exactly," he told her as he placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her outside towards the car.

Isobel felt nervous. All of the doctors and nurses that had come in today were talking about her as if she was going home. One of the nurses had even helped her to put on a pretty green dress, but she was still hiding underneath the covers. Her new daddy still hadn't showed up. She was hoping he was going to take her home, because then, it would be okay, she told herself. But she was not going away with anybody else. The mere thought made her grip the light sheet even tighter. She pressed her hands together and closed her eyes, the way Elly - one of the older children - used to do when she prayed. She knew that praying was talking to God, quietly, so that nobody could hear her, so she asked God if she could please go home with her new daddy. He was a good daddy. She liked him.

Booth opened the door and noticed the little girl's folded hands, her eyes closed and her lips moving. This was all in the split second before she startled a little and looked at him. "Hey Izzie," he said with a smile, "Today's a very special day. Today, you are strong enough to leave the hospital and come home with us. Do you like that?" he asked the little girl as he sat down next to her on the bed.

She quickly closed her eyes again and mouthed, _Thank you, God,_ before she opened her eyes and nodded, very happy to learn that she was going home with her new daddy.

Brennan entered the room as well and went to stand next to Booth. "Hi Isobel. I'm very happy that you're coming home with Booth and me. We bought you a little welcome-home gift," she told the girl and handed her the paper bag.

Isobel was curious, but looked at her dad first before accepting it, awaiting his approval.

Booth nodded encouragingly towards her and stroked her hair once. "You can open it."

Isobel grabbed the blanket with one hand and then took the bag. She looked inside and her eyes widened when she saw a brand new teddy bear! It reminded her of the dog she had once seen in school. It looked just like it. She reached into the bag, let go of the sheet and got the dog out. Sandy, she decided. That would be the dog's name.

"Do you like it?" Booth asked her, although her face said enough.

She nodded and held the dog tightly into her arms, then sneaked a look at Brennan and nodded again. She seemed nice. Plus, Daddy loved her, so she had to be a nice lady.

"Let's go home then," Brennan smiled, feeling happy that apparently Isobel approved.

Booth held out his hand to Brennan to have her come closer. He gave her hand a squeeze and put his other arm around Isobel's shoulder. "Yes, let's go home," he said, finally feeling like a true family man.

Brennan drove home, Isobel curled up on Booth's lap in the back seat, holding her dog tightly in her small hands. The girl was still quiet, but Brennan could see such a difference since she'd first pulled her from the grave. Isobel still had a long way to go, but at least, she wouldn't have to do it alone.

Isobel looked out the window at the world as the nice lady drove them home. She was listening to the thump-thump sound of Daddy's heart, her head resting on his chest as he took her home.

Booth was endeared with the red-haired little girl in his lap. He felt so protective towards her, and he only dared touch her very gently, because she seemed so utterly fragile. He was softly stroking her back, feeling her spine protruding through her dress as she held on to the stuffed animal.

The car stopped in front of a huge house and for a moment Isobel was scared that there would be a lot of new brothers and sisters for her, but she quickly realised that it would only be normal that there would be other children. Everybody deserved such a good daddy, she thought, so she would share him. At least she had Sandy now. The nice lady - Temperance was her name - opened the door and Daddy carried her out. They entered and she was placed on the couch. Curiously she looked around, trying to figure out where all the other kids were. This house was too big for just her and Temperance and Daddy.

Booth put away their coats and retrieved a blanket for Isobel. "There you go, honey," he said as he tucked her in carefully. "Do you like hot chocolate?"

She nodded. It was very quiet in a house which had to be filled with people. Maybe Daddy wanted it to be silent. She mimicked a writing notion with her hands and looked up at him.

Booth reached over to the coffee table. He'd bought his little girl a pink notebook with a princess pen. "Good thing you know how to write so well," he winked at her and handed her the supplies.

She smiled, happy that her daddy thought she was a good writer. _Where are the others? _she wrote and handed it to him.

Booth frowned. "Which others? Angela?"

_My brothers and sisters. It's a big house, so where is the rest? _She was used to having to share her room with at least four other children. And that is when she got lucky. In a house so big, there had to be at least eight or 10 other children.

Booth looked at her serious face. "You're in the foster system, aren't you?"

She nodded, not completely sure what he meant. But he was her daddy, she was sure he'd explain.

"Okay," he said with a light sigh. Of course they'd been suspecting this, but they hadn't wanted to question her about everything she'd gone through yet. They'd decided to give her a bit of time to feel safe and relaxed, heightening the chances of her telling them what they needed to know. "So, I have a son, his name is Parker. He lives with his mom but he visits me every other weekend and we do a lot of fun stuff. I live here with Temperance, but you know I call her Bones, right?" he smiled. "Just like I call you Izzie. Because if I like someone, I often give them a special name. Actually, Bones and I have really good news, because there's a little baby growing in Bones' belly. So that's all the people who live in this house. Right now, you're the only kid, and we're going to have lots of fun. Is that okay?"

She was the only one! She had her daddy all for herself! And soon she'd have a proper big brother and a little sister or brother, too. She smiled and settled down on the couch, happily holding Sandy in her arms.

Booth was elated at her smile._ Finally!_ He kissed the top of her head. "I'm going to get you that hot chocolate I promised you."

Bones had gone upstairs to get the guest bedroom ready and as soon as she finished, she joined him in the kitchen. "Her room is ready," she informed Booth. "How is she doing?"

Booth pulled her into his arms and kissed her cheek. "She's happy! I'm making her some hot chocolate, you want some? She loves your dog by the way."

Brennan smiled and returned his hug. "I would like some, yes. I'm glad she's happy with the dog. We will keep her happy and safe, Booth. We will find who did this to her."

"Yeah," he said. "She's a foster kid, Bones. She was wondering where the other kids were."

She nodded sadly. "If you end up in the foster care system, you get used to having to share... well, everything really."

He held her tightly. "It's a rotten system."

"It truly is," Brennan agreed with him. "But we can help her. We will help her and we'll get justice for the others."

"I love you when you say stuff like that," he smiled proudly at her. "I have to get to the hot chocolate."

"Yes, you do. I'll grab some cookies," Brennan agreed and kissed his cheek. She grabbed a pack of cookies and went to sit next to the little girl. "Here you go, honey. Booth will be right back with the hot chocolate."

Isobel smiled up at her and wrote a _thank you_ in her notebook.

"You're welcome, Isobel," Brennan smiled and handed her one of the cookies as Booth joined them.

Booth put everyone's mug in front of them. "Still hot," he warned Brennan in particular. "Hey Izzie, what do you think happened to your voice? Do you think you can speak?"

She grabbed her notebook and fiddled with it for a long time before she wrote down: _I can't use my voice anymore. _She reached for the biscuit that Temperance had given her and started to munch on it.

"Do you know why?" Booth asked her as he, too, started chewing on a cookie.

She remembered and dropped the cookie from her trembling fingers. She reached for Sandy and pressed herself into the corner of the couch.

"Sorry, honey, I didn't mean to upset you," Booth said and put his cookie on the table. He went over to the couch and gathered the little girl into his arms. "You can tell us about it. You can tell us whatever you want to say or write. Nobody's going to get angry and nobody's going to hurt you. I promise," he said as he gently rocked her.

She crawled on his lap and held Sandy's ear in one hand as she held on to his shirt with her other. She didn't want to think about it. She was never going to use her voice again. It hadn't helped her then, on the contrary, it had only made things worse. It couldn't help her now either.

"I think it's best if we save that question for another time," Brennan said gently as she caressed the girl's brightly coloured hair. A surge of warm feelings - of love, she realised - went through her when Isobel looked up at her with sad eyes and a tentative smile, silently agreeing with her.

Booth looked from Isobel to Brennan, realising the silent understanding they had between each other. "All right. You can take the time you need, sweetheart," he said as he comfortingly rubbed her back.

Brennan handed her the cup of hot chocolate. "Be careful, Isobel, Booth was right. It is very hot." Isobel nodded and accepted the cup in her hands, letting go of Booth's shirt and Sandy's ear.

With one arm around Isobel, Booth placed his other hand over Brennan's. "Thank you," he mouthed silently.

She smiled at him, then continued talking to the girl. Just like Booth, she was eager to find out what had happened to her, but it was clear Isobel couldn't handle it right now. "Booth is going to stay home with you. I won't be here during the daytime, but I'll be here in the evenings and the mornings. Talking about mornings, what would you like for breakfast tomorrow morning?" Brennan asked her as she handed the notebook back to the girl and added the pen.

Isobel held out the mug and took the book in her hands. _Hot chocolate again and maybe pancakes? _she showed the book to her daddy and looked up at him, hoping he would say yes. She'd been wanting to eat pancakes for as long as she could remember. Mom used to make it every morning, before she went to heaven. She missed morning pancakes.

"Pancakes? Awesome idea! What do you think, Bones?"

"I agree that pancakes for breakfast is a wonderful idea. Well done," she praised the little girl, who showed her a soft smile as she accepted the cup of hot chocolate again. "Booth has another surprise for you."

Isobel looked up at him and smiled curiously.

_Her room,_ Brennan mouthed, suspecting they would make her very happy by showing her she'd have a place of her own for the foreseeable future.

"Yeah, Bones prepared a room just for you to have. Wanna go see it?"

_My own room? _she wrote down, looking up at him after having handed the mug to her daddy.

"Absolutely," Booth said and picked her up. "Let's go upstairs." Once there, he opened the door. Brennan had outdone herself, having taken a few toys from Parker's room to make the room more kid-friendly. She'd also used the lilac sheets. It was a very nice and innocent sight. "Wow, Bones did so well, didn't she?"

Isobel nodded and grabbed her notebook. _Are you my new mommy? _she wrote then showed it to her.

Brennan blinked back her tears, but she simply took a step forward to the both of them and kissed her cheek. "Yes, Isobel, at least for now."

Isobel sighed and slowly wrapped her arms around her new mother's neck. She had new parents. Good parents. Parents who had saved her, who didn't abandon her, who gave her cookies, Sandy, hot chocolate and now even a room!

Booth transferred the tiny human to Brennan's arms. "Here you go," he said softly. "Why don't you two girls have a talk about toys and clothes and foods that we'll need, and I will go make some pancakes."

Before her daddy could get away, she reached out and grabbed his sleeve. When he stopped, she leaned in and kissed his cheek. Then she settled again in her mother's arms.

Booth smiled, absolutely endeared by the little person in Brennan's arms. "I'm going to make you two the best pancakes in the world," he laughed and jogged down the stairs.

Brennan sat down on the bed and together they talked about the toys in her room, the stuffed animal, everything that came to mind, whilst Brennan did her best to avoid all the big issues. The notebook was getting pretty full already. When Booth called out about an hour later, Brennan took Isobel by her hand and they walked down the stairs together. They passed the couch, where Isobel quickly grabbed Sandy, then they walked into the kitchen. Brennan helped her to sit on the chair and went to sit opposite of her, making sure Isobel's notebook was close by. Even though the little girl refused to speak, it was clear that she was bright. "This smells nice, Booth."

"Yes it does, and you know why? There's a secret ingredient." He sat down and looked at his girls. "It's love!" he announced, "Now, eat."

Brennan helped Isobel to pour some syrup on her pancakes and cut it into smaller pieces. "Isobel told me she named her dog, Booth. She gave it the name Sandy. It's a nice name, isn't it?"

"Like in Annie," he nodded. "It's about a girl who has no parents anymore. In the end, she and her dog are adopted and everybody's happy. It's a good movie."

Isobel reached for her book. _Can we watch it? Instead of a bedtime story? _ she asked. Elly, the girl who had taught her how to pray, had told her and the other young kids a story every evening. That was one of the few nice things.

"Why don't we make it a party so you can have both?" Booth suggested. "We may as well get a nice dessert, too."

Isobel shook her head, though. Her tummy was full and she was afraid that if she ate too much, her tummy would hurt and that was the worst pain in the world.

Brennan frowned. "You don't want a dessert? Or do you mean you don't want a bedtime story?"

_Dessert, _she wrote down and looked at her daddy, hoping he wouldn't get upset with her. He had said he wouldn't, and she wanted to believe him. He hadn't lied about anything so far.

"Well, I can see how your little stomach will be full after finishing one of my amazing pancakes. We can save dessert for another day and have a movie night instead. Also, if your stomach's full, you can stop eating, Izzie. I'm like a dumpster, I can eat all the leftovers," he told her with a wink.

She nodded happily, now that he understood. She left the rest of her pancake, but drank some more hot chocolate. She took her dog by the ear and got off of the chair, walking over to her daddy's chair, wanting to sit on his lap.

Booth hoisted her up and settled her on his lap. She leaned trustingly against his chest and Booth nearly forgot about his food.

"Isobel, would you like me to help you to get ready for the movie and then bed? Or would you rather have Booth help you?" Brennan inquired.

The little girl didn't hesitate and pointed at her daddy. She liked her new mommy, but she still felt more comfortable with her new daddy.

Booth combed Isobel's flaming red hair behind her ear and took only a few more bites. "Let's get you into some pjs then. You can have a pair of Parker's, he won't mind." Booth carried her over to Brennan and kissed his partner's cheek. "You don't have to start cleaning up, I can help you, later."

"It's okay, Booth. I don't mind. I put a pair of Parkers pjs underneath her pillow. "I'll clean up and I'll have the movie ready by the time you guys come back down."

"You're the best, Bones. The best woman in the world," he smiled, then added in a whisper, "You make me very happy."

She smiled up at him and kissed his cheek. "Get going you two," she smiled, then sent them on their way.

Isobel was holding Sandy's ears as she wrapped her arms around Booth's neck, resting her head on his shoulder.

She was such a tiny little girl, short for her age, which Brennan had estimated to be around six or seven years old, based on X-rays taken at the hospital. As if even her bones were thin and light. Which butcher had had the heart to cut open such a fairy-like child? Booth held Isobel safely against him as he mounted the stairs and went into the guest room. "Let's see what Bones picked out for you to wear, huh?" He put the girl on the bed and removed the pillow. "Do you like it? We can buy you some new clothes tomorrow and then you'll be able to pick out your own pjs," he added.

She looked at the dark-blue pair of pjs, which had green dragons on them. It was clear that they were a boy's pair of pjs, but she was so used to sharing everything that she didn't mind. She leaned forward to take her shoes and socks off, but she moved too fast and let out a yelp as her tummy protested. She immediately put her hands over her mouth to stop the sound from escaping and looked up at her daddy, her little heart hammering inside of her chest.

"What's wrong?" Booth asked, alarmed as he crouched down in front of her. "Did you hurt yourself, Izzie?"

Isobel sat up again and slowly nodded once, crawling back over to him and sitting down on his lap, burying her face into his chest.

He held her carefully and soothingly stroked her hair. "It's okay, baby. We should check your tummy to see if it's okay, all right? Can you show me your tummy?"

She lifted her dress and took it off, so her daddy could take a look. She trusted him not to hurt her.

He inspected the light dressings over her wounds; there was no blood. He smiled at her. "You're okay, honey." He reached for the pyjamas and pulled them over her head. "There you go. Are they comfy?"

He helped her to pull the pants on as well and as soon as she was dressed in her new brothers pjs, she crawled back on his lap and rested her head on his chest, listening to the reassuring sound of his heartbeat.

Booth kissed the top of her head and marvelled at the fact that she'd at least made a sound. In the same way he'd longed to know her name at first, he now needed to hear her voice. He also knew that he should be pushing her a bit more for the benefit of their investigation. After all, there may well be more children suffering at that very moment. On the other hand, he couldn't risk traumatising this child even more. He just couldn't. Certainly not when she was trusting him. He carried her downstairs to find Brennan ready for the movie.

Brennan handed Booth a blanket after he had sat down on the couch and helped him to tuck it in around himself and Isobel, who seemed to be glued to his lap. Brennan pressed play, got up and turned the lights off, getting all three of them a glass of water. Halfway through the movie, Isobel was fast asleep, holding Sandy's ear in one hand and sucking her thumb the way a young baby would.

Booth had his arm wrapped around Brennan, feeling relaxed even though the nature of the case and the stress it brought him were firmly seated in the back of his mind. "What do you think of the movie?" he whispered to her.

"It's a sad movie," she said, "well, at least so far." She relaxed further against Booth's side, "However, I'm sure it will have a happy ending."

"It will," he assured her as he kissed the top of her head and drew her tighter against him. "How are you feeling? Have you been nauseous?"

"No, not so far. I don't feel much of the pregnancy yet. I'm just tired," she admitted to him.

"We need to make sure you feel okay throughout this case and then afterwards," he told her seriously. "If you tire quickly, you should have more breaks and sleep eight hours a night."

"Booth," she sighed, "there are 27 sets of skeletal remains of young children ages 4 to 11 in the lab. Even with all the interns that's going to take several weeks. I need to focus on figuring out who did this."

"You need to focus on yourself, and that little person growing inside you, first. Secondly, you can put your efforts into the case. Will you please, please take care of yourself, Bones? I will help you with it, but we have to agree on this. Enough food, enough sleep."

"I will take regular breaks and I will adjust my eating patterns accordingly to the fact that I am pregnant. However, there is a lot of work to be done at the lab. You can't expect me to be home at 6 PM, Booth," she reminded him as gently as she could.

"Six thirty?" he joked. "What about no more than a ten-hour workday?"

"There is just too much work that needs to be done, Booth. Twelve hours?" she countered.

"Okay but not for longer than two weeks," he relented, knowing he'd have to pick his battles.

"And then after those two weeks, a ten-hour workday?" Brennan asked, just wanting to make sure they were at the same level.

"All right, all right. Under one condition. Adaptations are negotiable according to how you feel."

She nodded, "But that also means that if I feel okay, you won't give me a hard time if I do stay for eleven or twelve hours on those days. Right?"

"Only in the first two weeks." God, she was relentless.

She sighed. "Fine, no more than ten hours after the first two weeks, but the breaks that I take and the hour I take for lunch do not count."

"Up to one and a half hours. Maybe. Jeesh, Bones," he chuckled.

Her gaze softened. She did recognise he was doing this for her benefit and the benefit of their baby growing inside of her. "Would it make you feel better if I would come home for lunch?"

"Yes. And maybe take a half-hour nap," he added.

"If I feel the need to, I will," she agreed, knowing she could get much more work accomplished if she wasn't tired in the afternoon. "Would you mind terribly if I closed my eyes for a bit right now?" she asked him.

"The two of you are such good company," he teased. "No, I'm kidding. Go ahead, I'll keep everybody safe and warm here on this couch." He kissed her lips and looked into her eyes. "You're amazing and I love you, Bones."

"I love you too, Booth," she whispered and moved his hand from her side to her lower abdomen where his baby was growing. "I'll take good care of our baby. I want this as much as you do," she reassured him.

"I'm so glad to hear that, Bones. Now, sleep, darling." He held both his girls against him, feeling proud to be the one they chose to trust.

* * *

**We hope we didn't disappoint! We're trying to update faster, but one of us is writing a masters thesis in NYC and will go home soon, so there's a lot going on. We can reassure you, however, that this story is absolutely finished, so you'll have to wait a week at most for updates. Thanks again! Will Isobel ever speak again...? Stay tuned ;).**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you all so much for your continued support! **

**We are a tad later than usual :), but here we are!**

**This chapter is dedicated to my Partner In Crime, Cat, who is doing awesome in NY, I'm proud of you, babe!**

**Lots of love to all of our readers, reviewers, followers and people who have favourited us or our stories!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 6: The Voice in the Night**

Izzie's hands hurt from holding on to Sandy so tightly. She was shaking all over and she was scared. She was scared of the dark. Of the men who had hurt her and she was scared of being all alone. She wanted to go to her new mommy and daddy, but she was scared to call out for them. She couldn't call out for them, her voice was still lost. Trembling violently, she sat up and pushed the blanket away. She walked out of her room and into the dark hallway. She stopped to listen. She couldn't hear the bad man. All she could hear was daddy snoring. He hadn't been upset with her yet. She didn't think he would mind if she would stay with him for a little while. Slowly, she pushed the door open and walked into their bedroom. Carefully, she crawled into the bed and laid down next to her father's legs, hugging Sandy in her arms.

Booth slowly came to from his sleep as he felt a strange pressure near his legs. It wasn't Brennan. He ran a hand over his face and slowly pushed himself up. "Izzie," he murmured, surprised. "What are you doing here, baby? Why aren't you asleep?" He reached out to her and took her little body in his arms. "You're shaking," he observed, concerned. "Are you in pain, sweetheart?"

She clung to her father as she sucked on her thumb, hiding her face in the crook of his neck.

Her cheeks felt wet against his skin, and he gently ran his hand up and down her back. "It's okay, Izzie. It's okay," he hushed her.

She started to cry even harder as she remembered the mean doctors from her dream. She had screamed so loud that her own ears had hurt, but they had hurt her anyway.

"You're safe, baby. Nobody's going to hurt you ever again, because you're with us, now," he told her.

She didn't want to leave her daddy again. She wanted to stay with him. She wanted to know if she could sleep with him, so she cleared her throat and whispered the first words she'd spoken in several weeks. "I want to sleep here. Please, daddy?" her words were very quiet, and she hoped he had understood, because she wasn't sure she could say it again.

"Of course, honey, of course you can stay here with us," he answered her quickly, wanting to make her stop hurting. Then, he realised what had just happened. She'd spoken! And she had a wonderful, elvish, sweet voice. He decided not to make a big, emotional deal out of it for now. He gathered his little person in his arms and lay down with her. He kissed her cheek and wiped away her tears. "Is your tummy hurting?" he just wanted to make sure.

"No, a nightmare," she answered, it was a lot easier to speak to her daddy now that she'd tried it.

"They can be very scary," Booth agreed. "What was it about?"

"The doctors," she whispered as she started to tremble, hiding herself in his embrace as she thought about them and how they had hurt her.

"You already told me about Kingsley. Was there another doctor?" he asked her, feeling like he should be writing this down, but not wanting to let go of the little girl in his arms.

"Two others. Nurses. Very mean. They all made my tummy hurt," she whispered back. "I screamed..." tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Did anyone listen to you?" he asked her in a quiet voice, feeling angry and emotional.

"No. So, I don't speak anymore. Nobody listens," she looked at him with big eyes, then gently kissed his cheek, wrapping her arms around his neck, "You listen. Only you, daddy."

He took a moment to swallow the lump in his throat. "I know a lot of people who would listen to you, darling. And you're right, I will always listen to you. Did the doctors make you fall asleep?"

She nodded. "I was scared, I screamed, then I slept. When I woke up, my tummy hurt really bad. Nobody listened, so I stopped screaming," she explained him.

"I understand, honey. You did good. You're a very brave kid," he smiled as he stroked her bright red hair. "How did you get into the well where Bones found you?"

"I don't know," she whispered, then her bottom lip started to tremble. "I miss Elly." She had been the only nice older person there. She was the oldest girl and she took care of everybody. She had seen her only once since the mean doctor took her and hurt her.

"That's okay, Izzie. But who's Elly?"

"My foster-sister. She was nice." She hoped the doctor had left her alone.

"You know what, tomorrow, we can call Angela, and we can try to find out what happened to Elly. Okay? You can help by remembering what she looked like. But now, you have to sleep. With us. Is that okay?"

She shook her head vehemently, "What if the doctor comes back?" she squeaked, "In my dream?"

"You can wake me up and we'll think of something nice for you to dream about. Like... princesses, or tree houses, or animals."

"I like monkeys," she whispered softly. "They're funny."

"Then let's talk about funny monkeys for a little while, and when you fall back asleep, you can take them with you in your dream. This is how it works. You understand?"

She nodded slowly and closed her eyes again, trusting him. "Do you like monkeys too, daddy?"

"Oh, yes, a whole lot. And penguins, and lions, elephants, giraffes..."

"Elly says there are big gardens, where you can go look at monkeys. Is that true?"

"They're called zoos, and yes, it's true. Parker loves to go there. And we can go there, too, but you need to sleep for that or you'll be very tired."

"Yes daddy," she whispered softly and snuggled closer to him, staying as close as she could. "Goodnight."

"Good night, baby," he whispered and kissed her forehead. He pulled her comfortably against him and vowed to keep her safe and make her happy. Once her breathing became regular, Booth closed his eyes, too.

Brennan woke up early the next morning. She slowly opened her eyes and a soft smile curled around her lips at the sight in front of her. Izzy was draped over Booth's chest, with his arms around her as they seemingly clung to each other. Izzy must have joined them in the middle of the night after Brennan had fallen asleep, because she hadn't noticed anything during the night.

A glance at her alarm clock told her that it would start blaring any minute now. With quiet, slow motions, she turned the clock off and got out of bed. She went into the second bathroom to have her shower. Finding Izzie in Booth's loving embrace made her fantasize and wonder about the future their family would have. He was such a great, loving and generous father. She'd seen him with Parker and now with Isobel. He knew when to be understanding, how to talk to them, ease their fears, boost their confidence... Brennan smiled as she washed her flat abdomen. Yes, this little creature growing inside of her was very lucky indeed. After her shower, she went downstairs, made fresh coffee and had a bit of yoghurt with some fruit. She rinsed out her bowl after she'd finished eating and put the rinsed bowl in the dishwasher. She gathered her stuff and left the house, going to work.

Booth woke up more from expecting to hear the alarm clock than from actually hearing it. He saw the time and the empty space beside him. Brennan had left quietly. He felt the tiny weight of the tiny girl on top of his chest, and gently stroked her beautiful hair. "Ready to get up, sweetheart?"

Izzie woke up slowly as her dad gently combed her curls with his fingers. She nodded, yawned and then sat up. She smiled shyly at her father, then crawled over him and got out of bed.

He followed her out of the bed, and she looked the cutest he'd ever seen with her sleepy face. "You wanna use the bathroom, honey?" he asked her. "It's right over there. If you need any help you can call me or Bones, but she's at work now."

She nodded again and left in the direction he had pointed her in. She went to use the bathroom and after she'd washed her hands, she went to her bedroom, where she got dressed in the same clothes she had on the day before.

Booth had got dressed as well and was making breakfast when he heard a pair of little feet tip-toe into the kitchen. A curious little face looked up at him, and he picked her up. "Hey little munchkin. Are you hungry?"

She nodded again. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the bananas on the counter. When she was still in the house with Elly, Elly would divide the fruit. She only really liked the bananas and even though Elly always made sure she had the biggest bit, Elly had explained to her that she had to share the banana with the others. But, there weren't any others here! She pointed at the banana and then looked up at her father.

"Yes, you can definitely have that one. Anything else?"

She shrugged her shoulders. Normally she only had a bowl of fruit and sometimes there was bread, but she didn't like the bread. It didn't taste good.

"We'll just let you try a couple of things," Booth said as he put the banana on the table. "You want to know what the plan is for today? We're going to do something really fun."

Expectantly, she looked up at her father as she sat down on one of the chairs.

"We're going to go to the stores and get you clothes and toys," he smiled at her and sat down, too. "You get to choose whatever you want. Whatever colour you want, whether you'd like a skirt or a dress or a shirt - you get to pick what you love."

She got up from her chair and went to retrieve her notebook from the living room. She returned and sat down again. _Thank you,_ she wrote down and smiled at him.

He gave her little hand a small squeeze. "You're welcome, Izzie. No problem. Do you want to write again today? Because you can also use your voice if you feel comfortable doing that. I promise I'll listen to you."

She fidgeted with the hem of the T-shirt she was wearing, eventually she spoke up. "I can only talk to you, daddy," she tried to explain to him.

"That's okay," he assured her. "Do you know why?"

"Because you won't hurt me," she whispered as she reached for the banana, turning it around in her small hands.

"Smart girl," he said as he took the banana and peeled it for her. "I'll never EVER hurt you, or any other kid. Because I love you."

"You're a nice dad," she told him as she watched him peel the banana. "I like being here. Can I go get my teddy bear?" she asked him, wanting to have him next to her as she ate.

"Sure! What do you want to drink? Orange juice, milk, water..."

For a moment, she was tempted to ask for warm chocolate milk, but she hesitated, because he had only mentioned cold drinks, maybe she wasn't allowed to have something warm in the morning, or maybe it was too much work, so instead of asking for chocolate milk, she answered, "Milk please."

"Warm or cold?"

She smiled, "Warm, thanks daddy."

"Good. Special or regular?"

"What do you mean by special?" she said as she had a small bite of banana.

"Can't tell you, it's a secret," he winked at her, "But it's a special ingredient and Parker says it tastes really good."

"Okay then... special please. I'm going to get Sandy," she told him as she got down from her chair and went upstairs to retrieve it.

Booth prepared everything and it was ready when his little girl came back down. "Here you go, sweetheart. Let me know what you think."

She'd hoped for chocolate milk, but the milk was white and not brown. She sat down with Sandy on her lap and tried the milk. It was really sweet! A lot sweeter than normal milk. "This is really good," she told her father softly as she continued to sip the hot beverage.

"Good. We need a proper breakfast for all the fun we're going to have." They took their time eating and before they got ready to leave, Booth called Brennan to check up on her.

"Good morning, Booth," Brennan answered her phone on the third ring, tearing her attention away from the numerous x-rays in front of her. There was something that was bothering her, but she simply couldn't put her finger on it.

"Hey Bones. How's it going? How are you doing?"

"I'm going over the x-rays again. Something isn't quite right, but I keep missing it," she told him as she leaned back into her chair, focusing her attention on her partner. "Other than that, I'm doing good. How is everything at home?"

"You'll get it, darling. You always do," he encouraged her. "We're good here, just had breakfast, got dressed, and we're getting ready to go shopping for some toys and clothes. You won't forget about lunch, will you?"

"I'll be home for lunch, just like we discussed," she promised him. "Don't forget to buy shoes for her as well. And she has long hair, a few extra elastic bands can't hurt either," she advised him. "Oh and Booth, a toothbrush."

"Ah! How would I ever manage life without you," he smiled. "I'm going to write it all down before we go."

She chuckled. "Is she feeling better? Don't forget to take her notebook with you, so she can communicate with you."

"Ehm, yes, about that, there's been some progress." Booth quickly made sure that Isobel hadn't come out of the bathroom yet. "She's actually talking to me. She's a bit uncomfortable with it, but she's doing it."

"That's great, Booth! When did she start? This morning? Was it something she started or did you have to help her with it?"

"Last night when she came to us; she'd had a nightmare and she just spoke without realising it."

"Well at least something good came out of it then. Look, Booth, I have to go. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done. Will you come pick me up around noon?"

"Definitely. I'm looking forward to it," he smiled, because it really was true. He looked forward to seeing her every day.

"Have fun you two. Tell her I said hi, okay?" Brennan was quick to end the conversation, since she had no idea what had compelled her to ask Booth to say that to Isobel. "Bye, Booth. See you in a few hours."

"Bye, darling," he said and hung up. Isobel came out of the bathroom, teddy bear in hand, and walked up to him. "Bones says hi, baby girl. Are you ready to go?"

She nodded and shyly reached out her arms towards him, hoping he would pick her up. She liked it when daddy carried her around. Nobody else had ever done that.

Booth quickly finished scribbling the list and picked her up. He lovingly held her against him. "Let's go."

Izzie put Sandy's ear in her mouth and leaned against his chest as he carried her outside and settled her in the car. "Daddy? Where is mommy?"

"She's at work, doing her very important job. She's trying to find out what happened to you and the other children, and find evidence that we can use to put the bad guys in prison," Booth tried to explain Brennan's job.

"Mommy sounds really smart. Do you think she can find out what happened to Elly?" Izzie asked softly as she tightened her grip on Sandy. She really did miss Elly.

"She can try her very best," Booth promised as he kissed Isobel's forehead and got in behind the wheel.

She was quiet as they drove off. "Do you think the bad doctors hurt Elly too?"

"I don't know, sweetheart. But I understand it's hard not to know what happened to your friend, isn't it?"

"Maybe she went to heaven too. She always used to say that we didn't have to be afraid of it. I think she's right. My real mom and dad are in heaven, so it wouldn't have been so bad to go to heaven too."

"You're right, you don't have to be afraid of death, or going to heaven. But it's good to enjoy being alive for as long as possible."

She nodded. The dark topic was soon forgotten as Booth parked in front of a clothing store. She grabbed her pen and notebook and waited until he helped her out of the car. Booth carried her around as she tried on new clothes and shoes.

They were in the changing room together, where they'd decided what her size would be. "So which ones did you like best? You can choose whichever you liked," he offered.

She pointed at a few shirts, the yellow skirt and the white dress with the black butterflies on.

"Great! We'll take all of them." He looked at his watch. "Guess what, we still have time to buy toys. What do we need? What do little girls like you like to play with?"

_Can I have a book? With fairy tales in it? Or maybe a book about monkeys? _she wrote down and showed it to him.

"Books, huh? You must be just as smart as Bones. Let's find some!"

Together they went to a huge bookstore and she got a big book filled with fairy tales AND a book about animals. When the woman behind the register gave her the plastic bags with the books in, she accepted it and then turned around, hugging her father's legs in gratitude.

Booth picked her up and kissed her cheek. "You deserve the best toys for being so brave," he told her. "Let's pick up Bones and eat yummy things. Okay?"

She nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder. She liked her new daddy. A lot.

* * *

**Here we are! At the end of another chapter. Izzie is starting to talk again, well at least to her daddy. ****She's opening up about what happened to her ... more to come in a week! **

**Thank you for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A big thank you to all of our readers - and our reviewers in particular - for your continued support and enjoyment of our story!**

**Personally I always do a little - albeit mentally - happy dance when I notice anybody has reviewed the latest chapter.**

**And now, on with the show!**

* * *

Chapter 7: The TLC in the Family

Brennan glanced at her clock and praised herself lucky that Booth hadn't heard her leaving in the morning. If he had known that she'd been here since 7:30 AM, he would've been right there in the lab, to take her home. She remembered their conversation they quite clearly about the fact that he didn't want her working longer than 12 hours and after two weeks, no more than 10 hours.

For a few moments she seriously considered wrapping up and going home, since it was almost 8 pm, but she just knew. She was well aware of the fact that there was something not quite right with the remains of all these victims. And she knew, _she knew_, she was close. And therefore, she let out a small sigh and bent over again. If she hadn't found it in another hour, she would take all of her files and go home, she reassured herself.

Booth had been watching a princess movie with Isobel when he suddenly realised the time. He immediately got up. _Bones! You sneaky woman,_ he thought to himself. "Hey Izzie, want to go get Bones with me?"

She looked up at her daddy and nodded. "Yes. I missed mommy today. She's really sweet."

"That she is," Booth agreed and turned off the television. Isobel stood and he picked her up. "You look so pretty in your new clothes, don't you think? Like a princess," he said as he grabbed his keys and pulled open the door.

"Thank you," she smiled as she blushed. "Daddy?"

He fastened her in Parker's car seat, making sure she was safe. "Yes, honey?"

She fidgeted with the seat belt, then looked up, "Do you think mommy will listen to me too? Like you?"

Booth smiled at her and stroked her hair. "Bones is actually the best listener I've ever met. She can listen so well that she learns things about dead people."

Izzie nodded relieved and started to play with Sandy's ear.

Brennan looked up at the clock and saw that it was 8:17 pm and to her frustration, she still wasn't any closer to figuring out what it was, that was wrong with the remains in front of her.

They drove to the Jeffersonian while singing songs with each other. Once there, Booth got the little girl out of the car. He wanted to put her down, but she clung to him, so he carried her inside. "Bones!" he called out into the empty lab.

She heard his voice and knew that she couldn't very well pretend not to have heard him. "In here!" she replied as she stared at the skeletal remains in front of her.

Booth walked up to Brennan and kissed her temple as her gaze was still on the remains in front of her. "Do you have any idea what time it is?" he said in a soft voice.

"It's not that late, Booth," she answered his question as she looked up and smiled at the little girl. "Shouldn't you be in bed, Isobel?"

"Bones, you've worked way more than what we agreed on. Come on, now, let's go home."

"Fine," she agreed. "Just let me gather my files."

"Don't you think Izzie looks like a princess in her new dress?" Booth asked her as she gathered her papers.

"She looks very beautiful," Brennan agreed after having looked up at the little girl in his arms. "Booth," she wanted to ask him for a few more minutes, but when she noticed Isobel's eyes growing heavy, she decided against it. Instead, she continued. "I'm going to put my lab coat in my office and get my purse."

"We'll meet you at the exit," Booth said and took Isobel back to the large glass doors. "You tired, sweetie?" he asked her as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Whoops, I'm eating your hair," he said as he brushed the bright red curls out of his mouth.

She giggled, "Silly daddy, you can't eat my hair," she told him, resting comfortably against him. "Do you think mommy will read me a bedtime story? One from my new book?"

"Why don't you ask her? Here she comes."

Izzie tightened her grip on her teddy bear and looked at her new mommy as she walked over to them. "Mommy? Will you read me a bedtime story when we get home?"

A huge smile appeared as Brennan approached them, her files cradled in her arms. "Of course Isobel. Which story do you want to hear?" She beamed a proud smile at her daughter as she opened the door to the backseat and placed her files in on one side as Booth settled Isobel into the car seat.

The little girl looked up at her, "Daddy bought me a new book! Could you read that maybe?"

Brennan leaned further into the car and kissed her cheek. "That sounds like a good idea."

Booth was very happy to see his girls getting along so well. He drove them home safely and while Booth made Brennan some dinner, the girls went upstairs to get Isobel in bed.

Brennan helped her into her new pajama's and together they went to brush their teeth. Once she'd gone to the toilet, Brennan had tucked the little girl in and had read her a story. She felt honoured that Isobel was now speaking to her as well and she felt reassured that the girl was starting to recover. After having read the story, she kissed her goodnight and turned the light off. She returned to the living room and grabbed her files, sitting down on the couch.

Booth put the warm food in front of her and kissed her head. "You okay, Bones? Did you learn anything new today?"

"No," she said, ignoring the food. "There is something wrong with the remains and I'm close, but I can't figure it out," she told him, keeping her focus on the x-rays and her findings.

He sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around her. "What about some food?"

"I'm not really hungry, Booth. How was your day?" she asked as she pushed the plate to the side, to lay out the x-rays of the sternum of the victims whom had a lung removed.

"After our shopping trip, I had a video conference meeting with my guys while Izzie napped, then Izzie and I watched a movie; it was a nice, slow day I guess." He gently took the papers from her hands and put them on the coffee table. Then he took the plate and placed it in her lap. "Eat, Bones. If you focus for too long it's not going to come to you. You're pregnant. You need to stay healthy."

She heaved a deep sigh. "It's really frustrating, Booth! I know I'm close and it might be important. What if it is exactly what we need to lead us to those who did this? I need to find it as soon as possible."

"Hey, I understand. I really admire your ferociousness when it comes to getting justice, Bones. You make me proud every day, but you must take care of yourself. You know," he said in a lighter tone of voice, "Scientific research has shown that inspiration comes in moments of relaxation of the brain. So, take a break, and eat something. It will come to you, Bones."

She huffed. "I suppose you're right. And it does smell good," she admitted, grabbing her fork. With a small, grateful smile, she started eating. After a few bites, she looked up at him sheepishly, "How is it that you always know what I need before I even know it?"

He shrugged. "I love you, I know you, and your well-being goes above everything."

"I just want justice for her, Booth. And for the ones that didn't make it. All those young girls and boys. They had a full life ahead of them. So many lives wasted and ruined..." She scooted a little closer to him on the couch as she continued to eat.

"Yeah, I know," he said and drew her against him. "But when we come home, you've got to let that go. You deserve to be happy and you need to relax."

"It's harder now, Booth," she told him. "With Isobel here and our unborn child growing inside of me... I know I can find it." She stopped halfway through her plate. "It's really good, but I'd like to continue going through my files for a little while."

"Bones, no," he stopped her, "Finish your plate. Come on, you're eating for two."

She was about to tell him that it didn't require her to eat the double amount of food, but in all fairness, he hadn't given her a bigger amount than usual, so she sighed and took her plate again and put it down on her lap, eating slowly. The food was very well prepared, but her heart wasn't in it. As she continued to sit still and eat the warm meal he had prepared for her, she felt the fatigue settle in.

He put her empty plate on the coffee table and gathered her in his arms as they lay down on the couch. She smelled so nice, and her body was so feminine and soft against him. He stroked her back soothingly.

"I really should take one last look, just to make sure it doesn't come to me," she protested weakly, but made no move to actually do as she said.

"Uh-huh," he went along with her, feeling her muscles completely relax with no intention of getting up.

She was quiet for a few moments, then she softly stated. "I'm going to fall asleep if I don't move," yet, she didn't.

"Yeah, that would be bad," he went along with her, and didn't stop stroking her back.

"I really should", she brought her hand up and stifled a yawn, "figure out what is wrong with the remains." She laid her forearms over his chest and rested her chin on her hands. "Damn you," she murmured sleepily.

He laughed and kissed her head. "Don't worry, Bones, I'll make sure I'll get you in bed. Just fall asleep now that you're comfortable." He held her tightly and kissed her again.

She shook her head and kissed his chest, then sat up and stood. "I'm going to get ready for bed, will you turn the lights off and lock up?"

"All right, darling," he acquiesced and let her go. He quickly locked down the house and got ready for bed himself. He crawled in with her and gathered her in his arms like on the couch. "I love you, Bones. Take some rest, all right?"

She nodded. "It seems like you're making great progress with Izzie. Did she say anything that might be useful to the investigation today?"

Booth told her about Elly, and anything else he could think of that Izzie ever said to him.

"I'm very proud of her. It takes courage to do what she's doing." She smiled up at him. "You do have a way of making it easy to be courageous."

"All the women around me are courageous," he said, "I just try to never belittle them or stand in their way."

"Smart man," she murmured, then cuddled closer to him. "She's lucky to have you as her guardian."

He chuckled. "I know, right?"

She took his hand and guided it down to her belly, where she pressed it above the waistband of her shorts, "This little one will be very lucky too."

"With you as a mother, yes, definitely." He stroked her and kissed her. "You'll be an amazing mom, Bones."

"I hope so. I have no experience with motherhood, Booth," she told him straightforward, "you do have a great set of parenting skills."

"You only need experience with loving someone, Bones. It'll come naturally, trust me. You have a big heart. Don't worry."

"And I can always learn from you," she murmured, closing her eyes as sleep slowly pulled her under into the world of dreams.

Izzie was scared. She was trying to hide from the doctor, but he kept running after her. She was so scared that it was difficult to breathe. She ran away, but she stumbled and fell. Somebody grabbed her and she screamed.

Brennan woke up with a start as she could hear a scream. She sat up and looked at Booth, who was sitting next to her. "I'm going to get her," she said.

Brennan returned with a crying little girl in her arms. Booth quickly made room for them and got a glass of water.

Brennan settled back down underneath the cover and held her to his chest. "Was it a nightmare, Izzie?"

Izzie nodded and held Sandy close to her chest as her new mommy rubbed her back.

"What was the nightmare about?" she inquired quietly.

"The doctor. The doctor always wants to hurt me," she whispered through her tears.

"I won't let anybody hurt you. And neither will Booth."

"That's true, baby. Here, take a deep breath and a sip of water," he said gently and offered her the glass as sobs wreaked her little body.

Brennan helped her to sit up and held her steady, accepting the glass of water from Booth and holding it as she wrapped two tiny, trembling hands around it. She took a few sips and her breathing calmed down. "There, that's better, isn't it?"

Booth propped up some pillows and Brennan leaned against them as Izzie curled up against Brennan's chest. Booth put the glass away and covered them. "You know that dreams aren't real, right, Izzie?"

"But the doctor did hurt me," she whispered quietly. "He's a bad man. He..." she started to cry again and Brennan softly rubbed her back, making soothing noises to calm her down.

"Yes, he did hurt you, but he can't hurt you again, because you're with us, now. And nobody hurts anybody as long as we're around."

"I'm scared," Izzie admitted and she pressed herself closer to her mother.

"You never have to be scared when we're around, Iz. Bones is the smartest, and I'm the strongest. So no one can get to us if we protect you," he told the frightened child.

"But the doctor always takes you again," she whispered quietly. "Until the day he doesn't bring you back." She looked up at her mother, "You have to go to heaven when he doesn't bring you back... right?" she shook her head and turned to look at her dad with tears in her eyes. "I don't want to go to heaven, daddy..."

Brennan gently handed the sobbing child to her partner as she scooted closer to Booth as well and continued to rub Izzie's back.

Booth settled the child on his chest and spoke to her. "Honey, we don't approve of the doctor taking you, so it's not going to happen. You can trust us. We're going to put the doctor that you know in jail."

She listened to the rumble in her father's chest as she spoke and relaxed a little. "I trust you. And you, mommy" she whispered quietly.

"I know, sweetheart. You can stay with us tonight, go back to sleep. Do you want some more water?"

She shook her head and closed her eyes, her father's pajama shirt clenched tightly in her small fist.

Booth placed his hand protectively over her lower back and over her fist. He kept both Isobel and Brennan close, and let them all calm down.

When Brennan noticed that Izzie's breathing wasn't calming down, she softly started to sing a lullaby and slowly but surely, she witnessed the relaxation of her tense muscles as the girl slipped back into a deep and hopefully peaceful slumber.

Booth winked at Brennan when Isobel fell back asleep. "See? You're an amazing mom," he whispered.

Brennan kissed his cheek, then settled back down again. "It breaks my heart to see her like that, Booth."

"But it must feel good to know that we're helping her feel better and preparing her for a normal life, where she has every chance any other kid has," he pointed out. "I strongly believe that love can heal all wounds eventually. This time as well."

"Do you want her to stay with us? I mean, long-term?" Brennan asked him quietly.

"Well, that depends on what she wants, what you want, what I want, and Parker, and what's going to happen. But for now, I'd have nothing against it. What about you?"

She looked at the girl for a long moment, then gently brushed her hair back. "It's strange to think that a little while ago I was seriously considering to have my pregnancy terminated and that now," she looked up at him, "I'm planning on having not only our baby, but I'm more than willing to make a permanent place for her in our family as well..."

Booth smiled at her. "I'm in awe of you, Temperance Brennan." He kissed her lips. "You can adapt to any situation and make the best of it."

"As long as we can do it together, Booth," she smiled, hiding a yawn. "Goodnight, Booth."

"Sleep well," he whispered and gathered his girls in his arms. Feeling happy, he closed his eyes.

Brennan had slept fitfully after Isobel had joined them in their bed. Her mind had kept being distracted by the ordeal the little girl had suffered at the hands of her tormentors and the elusive anomaly with the remains of the other children. When the clock had struck 4.47 am, she had slowly gotten out of bed and had sneaked out of the room, into the kitchen. She'd made herself a warm cup of milk with some honey, then had grabbed her files and went into her office, where she started up her computer and put the files down. She searched her documents for files where the murderers had been doctors and had used scalpels on their victim. It took her awhile, but eventually, she found the full set of x - rays and started studying them. Once she had something to make a comparison with, it didn't take her long to figure it out.

"Of course," she whispered after only 20 minutes of studying several sets of remains, and having done some quick searching through her medical magazines. As soon as she'd found the article she had been looking for and skimmed through the information it held, she got up and went to the bathroom, to have a shower and get dressed. Now that she knew what it was, she had to go to the lab and prove it.

Booth heard her get up and began to carefully transfer Isobel to the warm spot next to him. By the time he came downstairs, Brennan was about to leave. "Bones, what are you doing?" he sighed. "It's too early."

"No, it isn't," she countered as she approached him, pulling on her coat. "I have to go to the lab right now."

"Right now? Why? Have you had any breakfast?" He sat on the couch and ran his hands over his face, trying to wake up.

"No, of course not, Booth. It's barely 5 AM." She went to sit next to him, the files in her hands. "I figured out what is wrong with the injuries. I just have to prove it, but I need to be able to examine the actual remains."

"You figured it out?" he repeated, suddenly awake. He stood and pulled her against him, kissing her temple. "All right," he said and squeezed her hand. "Just wait a few more minutes, let me get you some breakfast to take with you."

She gave into his request, knowing that it was a small miracle he was allowing her to leave this early, and followed him into the kitchen. "I think - I'll need measurements to be sure - that the cuts were made with experimental medical equipment. The width of the scalpels blade is much smaller, which leaves smaller cuts and should make it easier for the doctor to use the scalpel. They are being tested now on animal cadavers, but I think there is a good chance that our doctor has been suspended and is no longer allowed to practice," she told him about her findings and what those findings had made her realize.

"So this guy got fired, basically, and was able to steal the experimental equipment since that may not be registered. I mean, it wouldn't be missed like the regular equipment. Is that what you're saying?" He quickly made her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and poured fresh orange juice in her mug. He put everything and an energy bar in a bag and handed it to her.

"Possibly. I don't have anything definitive yet, Booth. I have to gather the evidence first." She accepted the bag. "What are you and Izzy going to do today?" she asked him before she left.

"Now that we're getting closer, I want to talk to her about what she remembers. She trusts us, she feels safe here, I think it's the right time. Keep me posted, all right?"

"I will. I'll have Angela compile a list of suspects. Call me as soon as she manages to give you something." She approached him and gently kissed his cheek. "Thank you for understanding."

"Yeah, this case is special. But I still need you to take good care of yourself, so, eat this, okay?" he said, pointing at the bag in her hand. He tucked her hair behind her ear and kissed her lips lovingly. "You've proven it again; you're brilliant," he said proudly.

She nodded. "I will. And I'll get you the proof you need. I hope everything goes all right with Isobel today. This will be hard on both of you, Booth," her gaze and voice softened as she continued, "but... if she's going to tell her story to anybody, you're the most likely candidate."

"Well, we'll see how it goes. Let's check in on each other at lunch?"

"I'll call," she promised and leaned in for a quick kiss. "I really have to get going."

"Okay. I love you, Bones. Bye." He opened the door for her and watched her go. He thought about the little miracle growing inside of her, and how strong and beautiful she was as a woman, as a person. He guessed he would always be a little worried when he had to let her leave without him. Luckily, she was more than capable of standing up for herself, and had proven it on more than one occasion.

* * *

**Brennan finally found a solid lead to the monsters that have taken these children into their 'care' only to harvest their organs. As Booth watches her leave, he realizes that he has an equally difficult task to complete. Does Isobel trust him enough to open up about the trauma she went through? **

**Stay tuned and find out!**


	8. Chapter 8

**And we're back! It's my birthday today, so to all of our lovely readers and reviewers here is a little gift from us for you!**

**Let's see how strong the father daughter bond has gotten...**

* * *

Chapter 8: The Information in the Girl

The sun woke Izzie up and she turned her back to the sunlight. As she opened her eyes, she noticed that she was alone in bed. She got scared and grabbed Sandy by the ears, scrambling out of the bed and into the hall. Where were her daddy and mommy?"

Booth had showered and dressed, and prepared Isobel's favourite breakfast. When he heard little feet on the stairs, he walked towards her and stretched out his arms. "Hey Izzie," he greeted her with a smile, "Jump!" Parker loved jumping into his arms, and he thought it a sign of trust. He had to test Isobel's trust in him today, so he wanted to get her completely comfortable first.

She smiled when she found her daddy and did as he asked, jumping into his arms, clinging to him as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Are you awake, honey? Did you sleep well?"

She nodded, then shifted, so she could look at him. "I was alone when I woke up, but now I found you. Where is mommy?"

"She's at the lab, because she thought of something this morning. Something that may help us find Elly and the man who hurt you. I'm looking forward to putting him in jail so he can never hurt anyone again."

"He's a very bad man," she whispered as she hugged herself close to her daddy, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He held her and gently rubbed her back. "Yeah, but you don't have to be afraid anymore, because I'm your dad and I'm going to protect you. Okay?"

"How long are you going to be my daddy?" she asked as he carried her into the kitchen.

"That depends on how long you want me to be your daddy. I'll be your daddy forever if you want me to."

"I would like that," she told him softly as he helped her to sit down on one of the kitchen chairs. "Pancakes!" she smiled as she put Sandy down next to her, momentarily forgetting about the stuffed animal.

Booth chuckled. The child was so skinny; he could feed her pancakes every day. "Your favourite, right?" They sat down and attacked the food.

"Yes," she smiled at him. "They are really yummy, daddy." She told her father as she ate two pancakes, then her tummy was full. She grabbed her mug of warm chocolate milk and took a sip. It was only lukewarm and she happily drank it.

"You know, it's very nice weather today. You wanna go into the backyard and play on the swings?" he suggested.

She nodded excitedly and grabbed Sandy. "I'm going to put my dress on," she told him, eager to go outside and play on the swings.

Once the little girl was ready, they went outside into the sun. "You want me to push you?" Booth asked her.

She nodded. She'd seen other children play on them, but she'd never been allowed to do it herself. She reached her arms up to him, Sandy clutched tightly in her hand, as always.

Booth settled her on the swing. "You're going to have to use both your hands to hold on, honey. Can I put Sandy on the chair over there so he can watch you?"

She hesitated, but agreed after a few moments, handing Sandy to him.

Booth put the dog on the chair and made sure Isobel was holding on. Then, he pushed her gently and told her how to use her legs to go higher.

She did as her daddy told her and soon, she was soaring through the air, feeling the best she'd ever felt.

"You're amazing at this, aren't you scared at all?" Booth laughed as she wanted to go higher and higher.

"No! This is so much fun, daddy!" she yelled at him as she flew through the air, holding on tightly.

"I can't keep up with you, you're going too high!" They swung until she'd had enough, and then Booth sat down on the swing next to her. "Wow, that was a lot of fun," he said.

She jumped off of the swing she had sat on and went to stand in front of her daddy, holding her arms up. "Up, daddy," she smiled brightly, wanting to sit on his lap.

He lifted her and settled her in his lap. They swung a bit, and then he asked her, "So, when you lived with Elly and the others, did you live in a house?"

"Yes," she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Who took care of you there? Who were the adults?"

"Elly took care of us. She was the oldest. The babies used to call her mommy, but she didn't like that. Can we swing some more?" she asked him as she looked over his shoulder, playing with the top of his t-shirt.

"Of course we can," he said and swung higher. "So there were no adults? Did the doctor take care of you?"

"Daddy, doctors are mean." She was quiet for a little while. "Nurses too."

Booth's heartbeat picked up. He had an accomplice! "What was the nurses' names, honey?"

"Damien and Lara. Damien wasn't so bad, but Lara was mean. Elly and Lara got into a lot of fights."

"Did they take care of you? Did they give you food?"

She sighed, "Daddy, I already told you, Elly took care of us. Damien would make the food together with Elly. But she would divide the food herself. Damien would give the babies their bottle." She was quiet again for a long time. "Damien wasn't so bad. Elly thought he was okay... I don't think Damien was good," she said as she tightened her small fists around the fabric of his shirt. After a little while she continued in an angry whisper. "He made Elly sad. She wanted to feed the babies, but he didn't let her."

"Did the nurses work with the doctor? Did they take care of the children when they got operated?"

She shrugged. "Lara took me to the doctor and when I woke up again, Damien stayed with me. Elly came to visit once..." tears formed in the little girl's eyes. She missed her big sister. "Where is mommy?" she said, having decided that she didn't want to talk about it anymore.

"Mommy's at work, because we're trying to get the doctor in jail. And if you say that Lara wasn't nice to the kids, we can put her in jail as well. All we need is for you to tell us as much as you can, whatever you remember. So we can help you and the other kids. And help Elly. Do you understand?"

"Where are the other kids, daddy?" she whispered quietly.

"Perhaps some of them are still in the house. Some others may be with Mommy."

"I miss Elly. Do you think she's with mommy?"

"I hope not, baby. I hope she's still in the house and we will find her. Do you remember anything about the house or the neighbourhood?" He soothingly rubbed her back as they swung.

"It was smaller than our house. We didn't have grass or swings or anything like here, but we could go outside and Elly would play with us. The walls were high, but she told us to lay on our back and look up at the sky. She would tell us stories about what we would see if we were birds. We couldn't go downstairs. I didn't know why... but now I do," her sentence ended on a quiet, pained whisper and she started to cry as she clung to her dad.

"Is that where the doctor made you sleep?" Booth asked softly as he kissed her hair and held her to his chest.

She nodded. "It's where the doctor hurt us. And Lara too," she sniffled as she slowly calmed down again. She laid her head on her father's shoulder as she thought about Elly. Suddenly, she pulled back from her father. "Daddy! I remember something, I remember something," she told him as she wiped her tears away.

"What, honey? What is it?"

"Elly took me to the attic when my tummy hurt really badly. Lara didn't want her to, but Damien and the doctor said it was okay. She let me look through the window. I saw a train pass by really closely. She explained that was the thing that made so much noise. And she showed me the church and the town hall. And there was a big statue too."

"Izzy, that's great! Listen, do you remember Angela from the hospital? She's an artist, and she helps us by making drawings. She's amazing at it. She could draw the things you just told me about if you describe them to her. And then, we can find the house." He smiled at her. "Well done, you smart little girl."

"Angela is mommy's friend, right?" she asked as she looked up at her dad.

"Yes, she's both our friend. But she and Mommy are like sisters."

"Like me and Elly?" she asked as her eyes grew bigger. Sisters don't hurt each other. That's what Elly had always said to her.

"Yes, sweetie. Just like you and Elly."

"Can we go then? I want to find Elly and I miss mommy," she told her dad quietly, but honest.

"Sure, we can go. Let's go, eat some lunch with Mommy and Angela and make the drawing." He lifted Isobel from his lap and put her on the ground. He held her hand and they walked inside to get ready.

Brennan looked up from the bones as she heard someone open the door to the bone room. "Booth?" she frowned, putting the rib she had been studying down, then approached him. "Where is Isobel? Is she okay?"

"We need to have lunch together, with Angela also. Isobel remembers where she was kept," he told her urgently.

Brennan looked out over the boxes holding the skeletal remains she hadn't examined yet, but after quickly thinking over the options, she tugged of her gloves. "I will ask Mr. Bray to continue the work I have been doing. Where is Isobel now? Is she with Angela?"

"Yes, they're in Angela's office. Will you come?" he asked her.

"Yes. I feel Mr. Bray will be able to continue my research and it will add the necessary credibility for when we go to court. Do you want to go to the diner? Or do you want to order take out and stay here? Or maybe go home? Where she might feel more comfortable?" she asked, firing one question after another as she shrugged out of her lab coat.

"Ehm, let's order in some pancakes and stay in Angela's office," he suggested.

"Okay. How is she?" Brennan asked him as they left the bone room to return to Angela's office.

Booth walked with her, trying to keep up. "She's a bit upset, but she wanted to see you, so that's a good thing. She's reaching out to us, not closing herself off."

Brennan slowed down a bit and turned to look at Booth. "She wanted to see me?" she asked, somewhat confused and awed at the same moment.

"Yes, she was asking for you," he said as he put his hand on her back and smiled at her. "You have a bigger heart than you give yourself credit for, Bones. She sees it, too."

They had arrived at Angela's office and sure enough, the girl turned her head to see who was coming. Brennan watched as a big smile lit Izzie's face, she grabbed Sandy, got up and ran over to her, wrapping her small arms around Brennan's legs.

"Mommy! I missed you."

Brennan combed her fingers through the girl's hair and slowly crouched down. She kissed her cheek and gently embraced her. "Hello, Izzie," she stated somewhat awkwardly.

Izzie didn't notice that though, instead, she wrapped her arms around Brennan's neck and hugged her tightly. "I found you. Now we have to find Elly." She pulled back and blushed. "Angela is very nice. Just like Elly. She said she would help."

Booth put his phone back in his pocket and walked inside. "Diets are out of the window, I've ordered pancakes for lunch. Ange, while we wait, could you explain to the youngster what your magic is about?"

"Sure thing, Booth," Angela smiled then walked over to her best friend and the girl clinging to her. "Hey there, sweetie. Can you let go of mommy for a sec? I want to show you something."

Slowly, but surely, Izzie loosened her grip on her mother and after having received an approving nod, she took Angela's hand.

Brennan watched them walk inside and gently halted Booth by wrapping her fingers around his wrist.

"You okay, darling?"

She nodded and smiled at him to reassure him. "Yes," she lowered her voice. "I just don't want her to overhear this. I can not scientifically prove it yet, but I feel comfortable to claim that all the cuts on the bones of our victims - both ante-mortem and post-mortem - were made with an experimental scalpel. All of the cuts have the same measurements."

"That's a great finding, Bones," he told her, "Can we track down the instruments?"

"That's what Angela was doing," she smiled. "But let's help our little girl first." They walked further inside and caught the end of the conversation, "So that is how you can help me, to help your dad to find Elly," Angela explained gently. "All you have to do is think really hard about how the city looked from up in the attic and what Elly told you about it. Can you do that for me?"

When Izzie nodded, Brennan walked over to her and bent over, to kiss the top of her head. "My brave little girl. Do you want to sit on daddy's lap when you close your eyes?"

Izzie however shook her head and wrapped her arms around her mommy. "I want to stay with you."

"Well, come on then," Brennan encouraged her foster daughter and walked over to the couch, where she sat down. A few seconds later, Izzie had gotten comfortable on her lap.

Angela grabbed the controls of the Angelator, as well as a sketchbook and a pencil, then she sat down next to her best friend. "Okay, Izzie, close your eyes and tell me about the town you can see from in the attic."

She was doing her very best, she was brave. Booth left the room to get the pancakes, and when he got back, Angela had the individual landmarks sketched out. After lunch, they would put them on a map according to Isobel's memory. "Pancake time!" he announced when he came back in with bags in his hands.

_And not a moment too soon,_ Brennan thought as Isobel got up from her lap and practically ran to her father. Brennan yawned and turned away from Booth, not wanting to remind him of the fact that she'd been up since before dawn.

Angela smiled knowingly at Brennan. "I'll get all of us a cup of coffee and some hot chocolate for Izzie." She gently placed her hand on Brenn's and whispered. "I'll make yours a decaf, sweetie," then winked before she got up and left her office to get them all a drink.

Booth put the food on Angela's coffee table and had Isobel help him. He'd stayed out of the conversation as much as he could, so that he could provide a fresh break for the little girl. When everything was ready, he pulled her onto his lap and kissed her cheek. "I'm so proud of you, Izzie. You and Bones are the bravest people I've ever met."

"Elly is very brave too, daddy. Angela said that you and mommy can find her. That's true, right?" she asked hopefully as she held Sandy tightly in her hands.

"We can do our very best, sweetie. That's a promise."

"Okay," she smiled and reached for a pancake. "Mommy? Don't you want a pancake too?" she asked.

Brennan got up and walked over to them. "Yes, I would like one very much, thank you."

Soon, Angela had returned with their hot drinks and a relaxed silence fell over them as they continued to eat.

* * *

**Another step closer to catching the culprits and saving the innocents... but will there be anyone left to save?**

**Or will the list of victims only grow?**

**Stay tuned and find out!**


	9. Chapter 9

_**We're a bit early this week, but what the heck, right?**_

_**I think we're all a little eager to see the results from Angela's sketching, aren't we? **_

_**And what results it were! **_

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

Chapter 9: The Baby in the Girl

Angela was a freaking genius. Not an intellectual genius like Bones, but a magical one. They'd manage to find a location matching Isobel's description. He'd made sure Isobel was taken care of by Bones and Angela, and he had just arrived at the building. His colleagues had surrounded it and he was going in with three other agents. _Well, well, well, everything was like Isobel had described it. Where were the kids? Please God, let them still be alive._ Then, he heard a baby crying. _Bingo. _

Elly was sitting in the kitchen, dividing the food for the other girls as the baby cried. Her heart ached at the distressed sound the baby boy was making, but she ignored it and focused her attention on the three other girls. They were all quite a few years younger, the youngest eleven, the oldest thirteen but Elly knew why they were still there. They were destined for the same faith she was. After all, she hadn't been much older when she'd had her first baby. She handed out the plates and sat down, smiling encouragingly at the other girls. "Come on, Anna, Holly and Karen. Eat up. It smells great, doesn't it?"

Booth managed to peek inside the room and saw only the children. _Elly!_ is what he thought when he saw the older girl. She was a match, too. _Yes, yes yes,_ he cheered internally. He told the others to go look in the basement and the rest of the building for the nurses and the doctor. Then, he made himself look a little bit less scary by taking off some equipment, and he snuck into the room. "Hey girls," he said, and immediately made a shushing sound. "I'm with the FBI and I'm here to help you. Isobel sent me."

They were all startled and Elly stood quickly, putting herself in front of the three younger girls. She didn't immediately believe him, but her heart skipped a beat when he mentioned Izzie. "Why should we believe you?" she whispered bravely. "If you really know Izzie, tell me what she looks like."

"Beautiful little girl, a bit shy, flaming red curls, skinny, big green eyes. The most adorable kid I've ever seen. We found her on the bottom of a well." The girl was wise not to trust him, but demand some evidence first.

"She's alive?" Elly asked, taking a hesitant step forward, hoping that this would turn out to be the break they were all longing for.

"Yes, she's currently living with me and my - girlfriend. She's getting stronger and doing well. Listen, please, I know this is hard but you can trust me. I need to get you kids out of the building. My colleagues are looking for the nurses and the doctor. If they're here, we'll get them and put them in jail. Will you come with me, Elly?"

She still wasn't sure, but when he said her name... that was the dealmaker. She turned to the three other girls. "Sweeties, I know you're scared, but you know Izzie. She doesn't trust easily. If she sent him, we should trust her. Come on." She gently encouraged them to get up and after a few hesitant looks, Anna, Holly and Karen did as Elly asked of them.

"Good, girls. It's okay. Just be very quiet and follow me." One of the girls was biting her lip. She was very pale and skinny; she looked almost as dead as Isobel when they found her. Booth quickly picked her up and carried her out of the building, the other girls following. They hurried over to the FBI van and he got them inside. "You're safe now, girls. You did so well back there, I'm proud of you. Now, what's going to happen is, we're going to my house where Isobel is waiting for you. We'll have hot chocolate and pancakes, what about that?"

"No," Elly said quickly. "Not everybody is out yet. Please, you have to go get him," she pleaded with the Agent.

"Get who, Elly?" he asked her.

"Simon. You have to go get Simon. Please, he's only a year old. We can't leave without him!" she stated as fear crept in. She couldn't leave him there. She had to make sure he was safe as well. She had to.

"Okay, okay. Calm down, Elly. Where's Simon?"

Her lower lip trembled and Anna, the oldest of the three girls wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Damien took him into the basement, just 10 minutes ago," she told the Agent softly.

"Please," Elly said with a trembling voice, "you may still be on time..."

_Damn it,_ he thought. "I'm going back in right now. You girls stay here, okay? Stay here!" he urged them and ran back into the building.

They did as they were told, hiding in the van. It was hard for Elly not to go after him and help him look for Simon, but she gently cradled her small baby bump as she waited for the Agent to return. There was no reason why he wouldn't survive, she sternly told herself. The FBI had come just on time.

Booth entered the cellar, and at the same time, an operating room. "My God," he whispered. His colleagues shouted at him that they had the suspects in custody and yes, they had captured three people dressed in scrubs. In the middle of the room, on a stainless steel table, lay a baby, deathly still. Booth rushed over to him and checked for a pulse. It was anesthetized, but still breathing. "Wait!" he said to his colleagues, "I need them to wake the baby up."

Lara snorted. "Fat chance in hell. I'm not doing that," she stated challengingly. The doctor, who was standing next to her, nodded and gave him the same look. Damien shuffled his feet, but remained silent.

"Damien, get your butt here," Booth demanded. "Get the others out of the room," he ordered.

"Don't you dare," Lara hissed as she was led away, out of the house. The doctor didn't respond at all.

Damien approached the young child. "I don't..." when he noticed the murderous gleam in the other man's eyes, he nodded and cleared his throat. "Right." He walked over to the other side of the room and grabbed the correct medicine to bring the baby back from his chemical induced sleep. He put the syringe down after he had injected the medication and took the baby gently into his arms.

"Give the baby to me and go outside," Booth told him. "I'll let the prosecutor know that you did this." Then, he went back to the van. The little baby boy was starting to stir in his arms, and with him, Booth's heart. He needed to get him to a warm, safe place. Such innocence, about to be murdered.

"Oh my god," Elly cried out as the door was opened by the Agent, holding Simon safely in his arms. She reached for the baby on instinct, cradling the young boy to her chest. "Shh," she murmured as she rocked the baby. "You're safe, Simon. You're safe."

"Let me get you a few blankets," Booth said as he gently placed his hand on Elly's head. "You've been so brave, Elly. I promise you things will get better."

"Thank you, sir," she responded quietly as she looked around the group of girls. "We're safe now," she told all of them. Once the Agent returned with blankets, she watched as the girls tucked each other in. "Sir?" she spoke up, "I would love to see Izzie, but I'm afraid it will have to wait." She swallowed and looked down at Simon's beautiful green eyes that reminded her so much of her own green eyes. "I can't speak for all of us here, but I would like you to take me to the hospital, please," she told him bravely, even though she was feeling terrified.

Booth softly stroked Elly's hair a few times. "We'll get you all checked out. Don't worry, you'll be in good hands. Nobody's going to do anything without your permission. We've been through this with Izzie; we know you're afraid of doctors. I want you to trust me that I will act in your best interest. You're in charge, okay?" he explained.

"Thank you, Sir. In that case, I'd like to see Izzie," she smiled softly. He got out of the van and was about to close the door, when she looked at him. "You know my name, sir, may I know yours?"

"Of course, my name is Seeley Booth." He thrust out his hand to the girl. "You can call me Booth. It's an honour to meet you, Elly."

She shook it, cradling Simon to her chest with one arm, "It's nice to meet you, Booth. This," she looked at the boy in her arms, "is Simon, as you know. The girl sitting next to me is Anna Grays, the girl on my other side is Holly Tyson and the girl next to Holly is Karen McGinnis." They all smiled shyly at him as she mentioned their names. "I feel it's important to tell you that they were all taken and have families waiting for them, Sir."

Booth nodded his head. "We'll do everything in our power to get you back home, girls. But first, we have to make sure you're not injured. That's why we're going to the hospital. There will be doctors and nurses there, but they're not like what you're used to. These people devote their lives to making people feel better. You're going to stay together and I'm going to be right there. We're going to do nothing that's scary, okay?"

Anna, Holly and Karen huddled closer to her and she comforted them the best she could. "Can Izzie come too, Booth? I would like to see her and I think it would make it easier on everyone." When he smiled and nodded, granting her the request, she let out a relieved sigh. As the Agent closed the door, she started to sing softly, to calm everybody down and to stay calm herself.

Angela and Brennan had come to pick up the girls at the hospital. Everything had been quite relaxed; Elly had kept the girls calm and luckily, they were all fine, physically. Undernourished a little, yes, but nothing that wouldn't be healed quickly. Then, though, Elly had whispered a request in his ear. A request to see a gynaecologist. Booth had arranged for the other girls to go home with Izzie. "Who would you like to stay with you, Elly?" he asked her gently.

Even though Izzie seemed at ease with the two older women in the room, they had yet to prove to her that they would protect her and Simon. The little boy had fallen asleep in her arms and she had refused any and all offers that had been kindly extended towards her to hold him. Nervously she swallowed and answered. "If it's not too much trouble, Sir, I would like you to stay with me and look after Simon." She realized her request might have been a bit weird and certainly unexpected, but she preferred the known over the unknown.

Booth smiled warmly at her and took the baby boy into his arms. "I'll be right at your side, Elly. We'll do this together; don't worry." He sat down by her side and held her hand when the doctor came in.

The doctor greeted them both and since he didn't even raise an eyebrow at the sight of a man in his forties, holding a baby, sitting next to a girl in her teens, she figured Booth had already explained the situation to him. When the doctor asked her why she had requested to see him, she nervously brushed her hair back and gathered all of her courage to speak up. "I'm pregnant. I want to know how my baby is doing, how far along I am, when my baby will be born..." her voice died down and the doctor nodded. "I see, well, let me just start your file and then we'll get started."

Elly was very brave throughout the examination. Booth pressed the doctor to do an external ultrasound instead of an internal one, and once they were finished, he offered Elly to go to the cafeteria to have anything she wanted.

She was grateful to him as he protected her and acted in her best interest as he had promised. As soon as they left the doctor's office, she gently took Simon back into her arms and followed him to the cafeteria. She sat down and asked for a glass of orange juice.

"You can have more than just an orange juice, Elly. Whatever you feel like," he offered.

"I'm not that hungry. Maybe something for Simon to eat," she hesitated. "Do you know what he's supposed to be eating?" she asked him quietly.

"What's he used to?" Booth asked her.

"Mostly he gets mashed fruit, he still gets milk in the mornings and evenings and usually he gets a bit of our warm food... If we get any. So anything, really," she gently caressed Simons cheeks and nose. "I don't know how long it's been since they gave him something to eat."

"Good. We'll get some mashed baby food in the cafeteria and on our way back we'll get some baby milk. Let's get this little guy happy and healthy. And you too. You look like you could use some rest."

She smiled. "That would be nice. Izzie looks good. Thank you for taking care of her. What - uhm - what's going to happen to Simon? And to me? I'm almost 18. I can take care of him."

"Look, I don't want you to worry about the future right now, okay? First, we're going to make sure you all stay together and get healthy and happy again. Then, we'll see about the future. I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure you'll get a happy life." He took her hand and squeezed it comfortingly. "The hard part is over, Elly."

"Can I see Izzie one more time before we're sent off to... wherever it is we are going?" she asked him quietly. "I missed her. She's such a sweet girl."

"She is," Booth agreed whole-heartedly. "And you're not going to be sent away somewhere. Until the case is closed, you can all stay with Bones and me if you want to."

"I would like that. Can we go then? I'd like to get some sleep if you wouldn't mind," she smiled apologetically.

Booth grabbed a bottle of orange juice on their way out so Elly could drink it in the car. He drove them home, and found the others waiting there. All of a sudden, his home was filled with little girls and a baby boy. Truthfully, it made him happy. He wasn't so sure about Brennan, though. He'd have to ask her about it later. She couldn't get under too much stress. She probably already was. "All right," he said, "Step one: get everybody a place to sleep."

Izzie ran over to them and grabbed Elly's hand. "She can sleep in my room! And the baby too."

Elly smiled softly at her long-lost sister. "The baby will keep you awake, Izzie," she gently explained to her.

Izzie pouted, but had to agree. It wasn't nice to having the baby wake you up in the night. She remembered that all too well.

"We'll create a bed for Simon. He'll be fine," Booth soothed them. "Who wants to sleep a bit right now?"

"I think we all would," Elly spoke for them. She gathered her courage and looked up at him. "Anna, Holly and Karen can maybe sleep together in your bed? They are quite small and if it's a bed for two people they should all fit. We could maybe make a safe place for Simon in Izzie's bed and I," she shrugged her shoulders and indicated the couch, "I can sleep right here."

"Those are very good suggestions, Elly, but you are most in need of rest. You'll sleep in Izzie's bed, the girls will sleep in my bed, and we can put Simon in the kitchen. It's quiet there and we'll be able to keep an eye on him from the living room. Is that all right?"

Reluctantly she agreed, "But you will come and get me if something happens to Simon?" she asked, just making sure.

"If you want me to, then yes. I promise."

"Thank you." Carefully, she handed her precious cargo over to the man in front of her and then coaxed the girls to go upstairs with her and Izzie.

Brennan watched them go upstairs and approached Booth. Once they heard closing doors on the floor above them, Brennan spoke up. "How is she? Why did she request to see a gynaecologist?"

Booth let a sigh escape him. "She's pregnant, Bones," he told her sadly. "These bastards..."

Brennan gently squeezed his shoulder in comfort as Booth cradled the baby to his chest. "Do you think Simon is hers too? It would explain a lot..." Brennan stated quietly, not wanting to wake him up.

"I just - I hope not, but... he kind of looks like her. Doesn't he?"

"He does. He has her eyes. Same bone structure too," she agreed sadly. "And she's very protective of him. It reminds me of you and Parker."

Booth looked at the innocent product of a very heinous deed and swallowed. Then he looked up at Brennan. "Bones, I wanted to ask your opinion. On all this and how we're going to handle it. I need you to be able to relax when you need to."

"Well, Anna, Holly and Karen's parents are being contacted as we speak, so I assume they will be going home soon. I," she sighed and looked up at him. I have to admit that it's daunting, Booth. I was okay with having Izzie here and I'm sure that Elly is more than capable of taking care of both herself and Izzie and probably this little one too... but that would mean that in about 8 months, there will be three babies living in this house... Isn't that a bit much?"

"I was thinking the same thing, actually. Hold on," he said and gently put the sleeping baby on top of a few folded blankets in the kitchen. He made sure the little guy would be safe and comfortable, then sat on the couch with Brennan. He took her in his arms and they lay down together.

"On the other hand," she spoke up quietly, "it would be cruel to separate Izzie and Elly now that they've found each other again... No?"

"I guess," he said. "We have to prioritize here."

"What do you think we should do, Booth?" she asked him, curious to hear his opinion on the matter.

"I think we can deliver a short-term solution. During that time, we could get the girls on their feet."

"And what amount of time is short-term? We can't possibly kick a young, pregnant girl out on the streets. Where will she live? How is she going to support herself?" Brennan grabbed Booth's hand and held it to her tummy. "Imagine if it was our daughter, Booth. Wouldn't you want someone to care for her?" She was feeling very protective towards all five of the children she had to protect and care for.

"It's difficult Bones. In my heart, I want to take care of each one of them. But practicality is something else. What do you want? Do you know?"

She looked into his eyes, "I know what I want, Booth. I want a family with you. And I wasn't planning on being pregnant or on taking in a baby, a 7-year-old and a pregnant young woman, but I - I can't help but feel very protective towards all of them. Izzie has accepted us as her parents. I don't want to pass her around, making her think she isn't wanted."

He reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear. "You have a surprisingly strong maternal instinct, Bones," he smiled softly at her. "I just want you to be happy. That's my priority, to be honest. So, anything you want, goes, as far as I'm concerned."

"Elly seems like a responsible girl. She could stay at home, with you, while you take care of Simon and Izzie. And once she's had her baby and I've had ours, we can help each other out. She's been looking out for nearly thirty children, Booth. She could take care of 2 babies, a toddler and a young child. And once she's had time to think about what she wants to do with her life, we can always help her achieve her goals."

Booth pulled her against him and kissed her lips lovingly. "Then let's do that. You amazing woman," he smiled and kissed her again.

"She's a responsible teenager, who is about to become a mother. Maybe for the second time. We'll," Brennan yawned and clasped her hand over her mouth as her eyes closed, "We'll talk about it when she wakes up. Booth?" she asked as she got comfortable, fighting the pull of sleep for a few more seconds to ask him another question.

His hand was placed firmly against her lower abdomen, warming her skin. "Yeah, darling?"

"If Cam or Mr. Bray or anyone from the lab calls and I'm still asleep, please let them know that I won't be in for the rest of the week." It was already Wednesday afternoon. It couldn't hurt for once, could it?

He kissed her forehead as her eyes had already fallen closed. "No problem, Bones. I've got your back."

* * *

**_Anna, Holly and Karen will soon be able to go home, but what about poor Elly and her son?_**

**_Stay tuned and find out next week._**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello everyone! We are a bit later than usual, but nevertheless, without further ado... chapter 10!**

* * *

Chapter 10: The Making of the Family

Elly woke up when Izzie crawled into bed with her and settled under the blankets. Elly opened her eyes and welcome the young girl into her arms with a smile. Izzie didn't hesitate and pressed herself against her sister, sighing happily. "They took good care of you, huh, Izz?" Elly whispered as she combed her fingers through her red hair.

Izzie nodded in response and smiled. "They are my new mommy and daddy," she informed her big sister. "Maybe they can be your mommy and daddy too?"

Elly smiled sadly and whispered back. "I already have a mom and dad. And they are waiting for me in heaven, you know that sweetie." She received a nod in response and gave some thought as to how to approach Izzie on what she felt they needed to discuss. "Izz, I'm very grateful that they took great care of you, but we have to think about the future. I'm going to have to be leaving soon. I will be 18 in a few months and I'm going to try my hardest to get a job. I'm sure that they wouldn't mind if you stayed with them a little longer, but you can't stay here forever."

Izzie shot up and looked down at her big sister with terrified, yet rebellious eyes. "I can, Elly! They are my family now. I don't want to go." She crossed her arms in front of her chest as her chin quivered.

Elly sighed and sat up. "I'm family too, Isobel. You can come stay with me. I'll look out for you. I promise." She was surprised at the fierce reaction of the young girl as Izzie recoiled from her touch and ran down.

"Daddy!"

Booth carefully disentangled himself from Brennan as he heard his girl cry out. He sat on the couch and she ran into his arms. "Hey, baby, what's the matter?" he asked her as he gathered her on his lap and stroked her hair.

"Elly says I can't stay!" she stated, a bit out of breath, her eyes big, looking up into the dark brown eyes of her father.

"Can't stay where, honey?" he asked, confused. Isobel seemed quite upset, and he stroked her soft cheek to calm her down.

"With you!" Izzie cried out, then hid her face in her hands and started to cry. Elly walked downstairs and joined them in the living room. "Izz, you don't understand, honey." She reached out to touch the young girl again, but when Izzie pressed herself closer to the Agent, she got up again with a sigh. She swallowed down the lump in her throat and sat down on the other armchair. "I'm sorry," she apologized, "I hadn't expected her to react quite like this."

"You assumed she wouldn't be able to stay with us?" Booth guessed in an understanding voice as he held Isobel close and gently rubbed her back.

Elly sighed, but nodded. "It's not... you don't have to do this. I'm grateful that you took care of her, but I'm almost 18. I can get a job. I can take care of her."

Booth gave Elly's hand a squeeze. "That's very sweet and responsible of you, Elly, but Izzie, if she wants to, she can stay with us forever. Bones found her in that dirty pit, and I carried her to the ambulance and stayed with her in the hospital. You're right; it's not exactly according to protocol, but I just - I feel like she's my daughter. You and the others are also welcome to stay for as long as you need to, but I can understand that you want a life of your own. We'd like to help you with that."

"See?" Izzie sniffed as she turned her head slightly to look at her big sister.

Elly smiled at her younger sister, "You're right, Izzy. You're a very lucky girl." She looked up at Booth. "That's very kind of you, Sir, but really, I can't ask for more than for Izzie to have a good home." A small part of her wanted to take him up on his offer, but if the last five years had shown her anything, it's that nothing comes free in this world. She averted her gaze and watched into the kitchen where she found Simon sleeping happily. "Izzie, sweetheart, can you go up to Anna, Holly and Karen? I need to talk to your dad for a little while."

Izzie nodded reluctantly, kissed her dad's cheek and then did as her sister had asked her.

"Can I get you anything?" Booth asked the young woman in front of him. She had that same strong, defiant look in her eyes that he recognised in Bones's.

"A glass of water would be nice," she answered and followed him in the kitchen where she gently cradled Simon to her chest. "Thank you, for taking Izzie in," she told him seriously.

"It's all our pleasure, trust me," he smiled. "She's the sweetest little thing I've ever seen."

"She is," Elly agreed. "Do you think that maybe you and Dr. Brennan can help me to find a job? And to get through all the paperwork?" She didn't even have her identity card anymore. It was probably going to be a nightmare to get all that back. "I - uhm... My mom and dad are deceased. I should get my inheritance when I turn 18, that should help me to find a small studio or a flat," she mused out loud as she began the daunting task of facing her future and trying to salvage what was left of her dreams.

"Look, Elly," Booth said as he placed his hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes, "You're a hero. Me, Bones, our friends and the Bureau are going to help you with anything you may need. You're not alone anymore. And you're a strong, independent young woman. Whatever your dreams are, I have no doubt you're going to achieve them." He removed his hand and guided her back to the living room, where he handed her the glass of water.

"But how?" she asked him softly, close to tears. "I don't think you understand," she said as she sat down again, lowering her voice so she wouldn't wake up either Simon or Brennan. "It was my dream to be a doctor," she shook her head sadly and looked down. "But I'm not. I'm a mom and I'm about to have another baby." She looked up at him. "I can't go to school anymore. I missed 5 years of highschool. There is not one university that would accept me." She swallowed and looked down at her son. "And even if they did, I can't go to work, study to become a doctor and raise two children," she whispered, tears coming to her eyes, for the first time in five years. Now that she only had her own two babies and herself to look out for, a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders, but another had taken its place.

Booth felt for her. "Honey, we can arrange for daycare for your babies. Bones is pregnant, so we'll be looking into that anyway. Bones's dad would love to babysit, I'm sure that we're going to find a solution we're all happy with. About school; we can get you some internet courses after which you'll be able to take exams. Listen to me, if you want to be a doctor, we're going to get you into med school if it's the last thing we do. You deserve to follow your own dreams, now. You've taken care of the others so well."

"I want to take care of my babies too. What if I can't?" she looked up at him with teary eyes. "All of the other kids, they all looked up to me like I'm some kind of superwoman, but I'm not. What if I can't do it? I know school is expensive. As is daycare. I can't just expect both of you to just take on the care for not one but 3 children? And it's like you said. She's pregnant too. She needs you to be focused on her. Not... not me."

"It's not just me, Elly. We have a whole team of people, a group of friends, like a big family. We'll all help because we all appreciate what you've done for those kids when they needed someone most. If you're willing to accept our help, we'll do whatever we can."

She looked at him, and even though he had proven to her that he was a man of his word, five years of bad experiences proved to be hard to erase. "I don't understand why you want to do this." She swallowed, but straightened and tightened her grip ever so slightly on her son. "And if I can't understand it, I can't do it," she added in a soft, but clear whisper.

"We want to do this because we care and we don't want to see another life wasted by those criminals."

"You don't want anything in return?" she asked boldly, even tough she was reasonably certain as to what the answer would be.

"No, of course not," Booth said, a bit confused. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't think you would," she smiled shyly, then added seriously, "but you have to understand where I'm coming from. I was never operated on," she confided to him, "but that was only because I was burdened with the task of taking care of the children. And well, in order to get the doctor to agree with that, I had to make a deal." She was quiet for a long time. "Damien is Simon's father. As well as the father of the baby inside of me. In order to hold my 'privileged' position in the group, Damien had privileges of his own, if you know what I mean." She looked into his eyes and repeated. "I know you wouldn't ask that of me, but I just had to make sure there wasn't any... catch," she winced slightly as she realized how cold it sounded, but her experiences forced her to make sure. Knowing was always better than being ignorant.

"That's what I figured happened," Booth sighed. "And one of the things we can easily provide you with is therapy, Elly. I understand that your trust is broken, but you can't live like that. It's never okay for anyone to demand sexual acts from you, and if you ever find yourself in a situation like that, I need you to call me. All right?"

She nodded and wiped her tears away. "Thank you. And I would like to try therapy." Elly looked at her son and kissed his cheek. "I want to be the best mom I can possibly be."

"Not everyone who's been through what you went through would be able to say that and mean it," Booth smiled at her. "You're a brave, young woman, Elly. Everything's going to be all right. You deserve that."

Slowly, without jostling her baby boy, she stood and went to sit on the coffee table in front of him. "Can we stay here until after my second one is born? When Simon was born things were... not so good. I want to do better for my second one."

Booth nodded. "No problem. I guess I'd better start buying crazy cravings at the store with two pregnant women in the house," he smiled.

"Is it your first?" she asked him as she looked at the sleeping woman.

"No, I have a little boy. Parker. And Isobel."

"You're a good man. They are very lucky to have you." At that moment, their talk was interrupted as Izzie, Anna, Holly and Karen came down the stairs. Elly stood, hesitated, then leaned down and briefly wrapped her arm around him in an awkward hug. "We're all lucky to have you intervening in our lives," she whispered solemnly, then straightened and disappeared back upstairs, to spend some time with her baby. She had a lot of thinking to do and quite a bit of sleep to catch up on.

Elly left Booth smiling, happy that he was able to touch so many lives in a good way. He looked beside him and tenderly caressed Brennan's jaw. She was so beautiful. Then, he was torn out of his musings by a group of little girls attacking him, jumping him on all sides. "I surrender!" he said, "Pizza for dinner it is!"

* * *

**And that our dear readers and reviewers, is basically the end of it. **

**The trial will start, the doctor, Lara and Damien will go to jail and rightly so, as Elly starts to piece her life together again.**

**Anna, Holly and Karen safely return home and our little elvish girl will continue to call Brenn and Booth, mom and dad. **

**However! It is not yet the ending of our story telling.  
**

**There is one more chapter for all of you, a lovely epilogue, with accomplishments, gifts and a very special and serious question from Simon to his daddy... but which one? Damien or Booth? **

**So, for the last time... Stay tuned!  
**


	11. Chapter 11

_**Ladies and gentleman, **_

_**here it is, our epilogue... **_

_**So, for the last time, join us as we meet up with Booth, Brennan, Izzie, Elly, Simon, and two new faces... eight years later...**_

_**And as promised, we find out what Simon's question is...**_

* * *

Chapter 11: More Than One Kind of Family

Almost eight years had passed. Eight years since Brennan had made that horrifying discovery of a girl, lost in between the dead bodies of the other children at the bottom of a well. Eight years since Booth had carried her out and into an ambulance. Into their own life. Izzie's hair was still as red as ever, a bright fact that never failed to curl Brenn's lips into a smile. Izzie had recovered well from her ordeal. No doubt due to the fact that she'd been welcomed into their home, which had helped Brennan to realize the kind of mother she was destined to be.

Izzie was sitting next to Booth, who was playing silly games with his teenage daughter, to keep her attention focused and her mind off of mischief. She had really blossomed and Brennan had no doubt she would give both her father and herself a few gray hairs in the years to come.

She looked down when she felt Christine's hand reaching for her own. Her eight-year-old pointed to a word in the book she was reading and Brennan gently whispered it to her. Quietly, she went on reading.

In between Booth and herself were Simon and Brenda, Elly's two children. Simon was a year older than Christine and Brenda, but was being a perfect picture of patience. As outgoing as the girls had all turned out to be, that was how private and shy Elly's son was.

Brennan looked up as the dean walked on stage and started his speech. She let her mind wander over the years, filled with shared growing pains, joy and an overall sense of gratitude.

Booth felt elated, and so proud. Today, they were at Elly's graduation from med school. He'd already been calling her Elly MD for fun, but now it was a title she could actually use. Booth was so grateful for all the strong women surrounding him. The problem was that they were all beautiful, which got noticed by others as well, and right now he was especially worried about the teen years of Isobel. She was a stunning girl, and her red hair made her stand out even more. Luckily, she was acting a bit too haughty around the boys, so they didn't dare approach her. Yet. Oh, god. He was in for something.

Parker and Simon got along well together, and it was the only time when Simon really came out of his shell.

Brenda was a cutie pie, just like Isobel had been, and Christine was simply the most lovable creature he'd ever come across.

Of course, the same went for Brennan. She went from having no family to a huge one. Booth was brought out of his musings by Elly taking the stage and starting her speech. He clapped like a crazy man.

"This is it," Elly started, her voice somewhat trembling as she stood in front of the crowd. "This is it," she repeated, her voice stronger and more confident. "After today, when somebody yells, _Is there a doctor in the room?!,_ we will all be able to answer that call and do what needs to be done. We have all taken our oaths and I for one have not taken it lightly. We are privileged," her voice caught for a moment as a painful memory flashed by in her mind, but she continued quickly. "but we also have our duties. Duties to protect. Duties to care and the duty to cure." She was silent for a moment, then continued in a more emotional tone of voice. "You all know who I once was. The things that my past entails. It no longer defines me, however it has taught me something."

Booth was beaming with pride as he had his arm around Isobel. "Oh, honey, I'm so proud of my girls," he sighed as he pulled her against him.

"Hush, daddy," she told him seriously and pointed to Elly, "Elly's talking."

"In our line of work we will be faced with everything, varying from scraped knees to lethal gunshot wounds, violence and illness. Pain, suffering and death. Injustice. But we are doctors." She paused to emphasize her words. "It is our duty to never abandon hope, to look for a cure and to ease pain when there is none. We are privileged," she repeated her earlier words. "And we are also blessed." She smiled and added, "We are healers."

Booth jumped up from his chair and clapped and cheered. He was over the moon.

Elly smiled as she made a little bow, accepting her applause graciously. She was handed her diploma and walked off stage. She stood waiting as her fellow classmates - no, she realized, as her fellow doctors - received their certificate. Once everybody had been given that precious piece of paper, the group dispersed and she went in search of her family.

Simon and Brenda were the first to congratulate their mom, then Isobel and Christine, Brennan, and Booth thought he'd save the best for last. He grabbed the doctor and spun her around. "You have no idea how proud you've made me, Elly MD!"

She chuckled, "Booth! Put me down, I'm not a little girl!" But her laugh betrayed her words and the way she hugged her surrogate father showed him that she was touched by his words. Once he had released her, she kissed his cheek and beamed a proud smile at him.

Simon approached her and took her hand. She looked down and in a sudden bout of pure happiness, she scooped her nine-year-old son into her arms. She normally didn't do that, but he was a bit small for his age and a little too skinny still in her opinion and so for once, she indulged him. He instantly wrapped his small legs around her waist and she hugged him to her, knowing this wasn't his idea of a good time.

Brennan looked on as she took Christine's and Brenda's hands in her own. Izzie was still glued to Booths side and she spoke up, "Let's go, everybody. Elly and I prepared a picnic. Let's go to the park to have lunch."

"Kids, my food's going to come out," Booth complained as he lay resting on his back on the grass, and the little ones jumped onto his chest.

"Chrissy, Bren, stop it! You too, Iz," Elly laughed as she went to save Booth from their incessant pestering. "Come on, girls, give your old man a break, huh?" Elly teased him as she reached for her bag. "Besides, girls - you too, Simon - didn't we all have a surprise for both of them?" All the children got up and gathered around her and her bag.

"Ah, surprises. I love surprises. What's in the bag? Candy?"

"Candy is bad for your health, Booth," Elly and Brennan said at the same time, sending the kids off in a fit of hysteric giggling.

"Ladies, I never claimed to be perfect. Now, what's in the bag?" he asked curiously.

"Uhm, Izzie, why don't you go first," Elly encouraged her as she handed the small bag which held the first present.

Izzie accepted it and plopped down next to her father. In her enthusiasm, she couldn't wait and turned the bag upside down, dropping the belt she had decorated herself on the picnic blanket in front of him. "We made this in art class! It's a new one," she explained, "the old one isn't pretty anymore. And look," she pointed out the several impressions of sports equipment she had used to decorate the belt. "It has everything you like! A baseball and a bat..." she turned it around, "And look, daddy! A puck and a hockey stick! Do you like it? Do you like it?" she asked, her eyes wide with anticipation, beaming with nervous, happy energy.

"Izzie! Darling, this is great! Look at all that talent," Booth said as he took the belt in his hands and looked at it.

"He likes it!" She screamed loudly and flung herself at him, knocking them both over to the ground.

Elly shook her head and gave another small bag to Christine and Brenda, who walked over to Brennan. "We made something for you too, mommy," Christine said as she handed the bag to her mother. Brennan opened it and smiled. "Awe girls, this is beautiful." She found two picture frames, decorated by the girls, one holding a picture of Elly, Simon and Brenda, and in the other frame was a picture of all of them together.

"My back," Booth groaned with a grin on his face. "Why am I getting presents when Elly just graduated?"

"Because, dad," she addressed him the way she rarely did, "we wouldn't be here without you or mom."

"Baby, your mom and I wouldn't be here without you," he corrected his daughter.

She didn't comment on it with words, but a silent look of understanding was shared by all the adults.

Their trance like state was broken, when Simon stood and walked over to his dad. Even though Simon knew that Booth was a different kind of father to him than to Parker, all the kids simply called him 'dad'. He was more calm and subdued than the girls as he walked over to Booth and crawled on his lap.

Elly smiled encouragingly, then looked back up to him. "Simon has a gift for both of you too... Although it's more like a question. We're all really hoping you'll say yes," Elly explained, drawing Brenda on her own lap, giving her son the time to find the right words.

"What is it, buddy?"

"Miss Julie, my teacher at school was telling us about mommy's and daddy's at the end of the school year. I told her that I had two mommy's and daddy's and everybody else laughed at me." Simon looked down for a moment, then rested his head against his father's shoulder as he continued. "But then, we learned about a special kind of mommy and daddy. Miss Julie said... what was it mommy?"

He looked over at his mother, who replied with a smile. "A godmother and a godfather, sweetie."

"Yes," he nodded his head. "She told us about a godmother and a godfather. They are special parents who love you very much as well." He looked up at his dad. "I asked mommy if you and mommy Brenn are my special parents. Mommy said no, so... I want to ask you. Will you be my godfather?"

"Simon," Booth addressed the young boy solemnly, "I would be honoured," he said with emotion in his voice. Then, he looked at Elly and mouthed a 'thank you'.

The young boy snuggled up to his godfather as Brennan got up, gathered the girls and left to play a game together, leaving the men to enjoy some quiet time alone.

Elly kissed both of her boys and ran off after her girls, towards a bright, happy future.

The end!

* * *

_**All good things must come to an end, and so we have reached ours. **_

_**Keep an eye out for our new story, we will post one as soon as we decide which one we would like to share next. **_

_**We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your continued support in the form of reviews, favourites and likes of any other kind.**_

_**Thank you for joining us on this ride, but don't worry, we'll ride again!**_


End file.
